Annual Forum 2025 – Regions bordering Russian Federation and Belarus

On the first day of the 16th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, the Office of the Marshal of the Pomorskie Voivodeship organised a session dedicated to the problems and challenges faced by regions bordering Russia and Belarus.

An important voice on border regions

The panel discussion was divided into two parts:

Political panel:

Member of the European Parliament, Ms Magdalena Adamowicz;
Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy, Mr Jacek Karnowski;
Member of the Board of the Pomorskie Voivodeship, Ms Agnieszka Baranowska;
Representative of DG REGIO at the European Commission, Ms Simona Pohlová.

Socio-economic panel:

Representative of the Lapland region (Finland), Ms Päivi Ekdahl;
Representative of the Latgale region (Latvia), Ms Iveta Iveta Maļina-Tabūne;
Member of the Board of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship, Mr Robert Turlej;
Representative of ESPON EGTC, Mr Wiktor Szydarowski.

The session was moderated by Thorsten Kohlisch from the Interreg Europe programme.

Key findings

The border with the Russian Federation and Belarus is the external border of the European Union. The need to protect border regions from a hostile neighbour is a commitment of the entire EU.

Regions bordering the Russian Federation face the following problems and needs: the need for military reinforcement, protection of the civilian population, investment in dual-use infrastructure.
Long-term support mechanisms are needed.
A sense of security must be built in border regions and friendly conditions for living and doing business must be created.
The voice of local communities is very important – a bottom-up approach and listening to their needs effectively influences the development of regions.

The above points can be considered a common denominator for all regions bordering the Russian Federation and Belarus they are universal for them. However, it should be remembered that each region has different development conditions, potential and resources.

Strength lies in dialogue and cooperation networks

The space for dialogue that was created during the session on border regions in Sopot built mutual understanding and provided an opportunity for further active support for these regions in difficult situations.

Continuation of Sopot’s discussion – Malbork, 30th of October

On 30 October 2025, a debate on the issue of the border with the Russian Federation was held at the Latin School in Malbork. The event was held in connection with a session on isolated border regions, which took place the day before during the SUERMB 2025 Forum in Sopot.

Border issues with the Russian Federation – variety of perspectives

Representatives of the government and local authorities, Interreg programmes, EU institutions, social organisations, business and science gathered at the Latin School in Malbork to discuss the challenges related to the border with the Russian Federation.

Mr Tomasz Witkowski, representing nowodworski district council, referred to the border with the Russian Federation in terms of security (including GPS signal jamming and drones).
Mr Arkadiusz Zgliński, representing Port of Elbląg, presented bordering with Russian Federation from business point of view. Closure of borders has affected the company – declines in transhipments. However, the port is striving for development and is entering into new agreements with foreign ports, as well as supporting the largest Polish seaports.
Mr Tomasz Studzieniecki, representing the Maritime University of Gdynia, referred to cooperation with the Kaliningrad Oblast from a historical perspective – once cooperation, today disintegration. He mentioned that it is important to use current solutions and sources of funding – national programmes – and to seek synergies.

Session was moderated by Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło, representing Pomorskie Regional Tourist Board.

After the panel discussion, the participants of the meeting in Malbork went for a walk along the Nogat boulevard, which has been revitalised with cross-border cooperation funds.

The event was organised by the Marshal’s Office of the Pomorskie Region in cooperation with the City of Malbork and partners of Baltic initiatives from the Warmian-Masurian and Pomorskie regions.