In the face of growing security challenges – the declining U.S. engagement in Europe and, above all, an increasingly expansionist and neo-imperial Russia – our Poland, like the European Union as a whole, is preparing for worst-case scenarios. The brutality of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the intensification of hybrid threats raise an ominous question: what further threats might we face from our eastern neighbour?
This issue is inevitably a source of concern, which is why we will address it at the upcoming Łukasiewicz – ITECH Annual Conference “Security for Prosperity.” Our guest of honour and keynote speaker will be Salome Zourabichvili, former President of Georgia, who ,while leading her country, experienced various forms of Russian interference in its political order.
The threat posed by Russian aggression and attempts to undermine state security is not confined to the battlefield; it also extends to the spheres of information, politics and societal resilience. This is why, at At Łukasiewicz – ITECH, we are therefore examining how to respond effectively to the full spectrum of Russian activities, from cognitive operations to hybrid threats.
In her keynote address, President Zourabichvili will share her experience from the front line of confronting Russian methods of destabilisation. She will also outline how, in her view, Poland and other countries on NATO’s eastern flank can effectively strengthen their resilience and defence readiness.