After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, governments in the former Soviet Union were immediately forced to deal with difficult geopolitical realities. In this report for the ELN, YGLN member Daniel Shapiro uses quantitative and qualitative analysis to show there is increased heterogeneity in geopolitical positioning among post-Soviet states and offers key lessons from this for Western policymakers.
In this critical period, the ELN’s Younger Generation Leaders Network on Euro-Atlantic Security (YGLN) held its annual gathering from 13-16 June in Switzerland, sponsored by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Members met with the French and Norwegian Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Office in Geneva, as well as representatives from the Swedish, German, and Dutch Missions and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).
The ELN’s Younger Generation Leaders Network on Euro-Atlantic Security (YGLN) has intensified its convening since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has held weekly meetings, every one of which has been attended by Ukrainians, Russians, other Europeans and Americans alike. Through these meetings, all parties involved have engaged in fruitful and frank dialogue and have retained their commitment to engagement even in the toughest of times. Below, we discuss some key takeaways from our first three months of meetings.
Over the past weeks, the ELN has convened network members from across wider Europe in a series of private conversations to gain a better understanding of the factors driving the current crisis and the options for its resolution. This is a summary of some considerations offered by Ukrainian participants during these conversations.
ELN members reflect on the recent tensions at the Belarus/Poland border and discuss principles for the next steps forward.
The South Caucasus is a strategically significant part of the world — but the West’s presence in the region seems to be gradually eroding. Daniel Shapiro provides suggestions regarding areas in which Western countries can re-engage.