The Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) and the Polish Embassy in London, in collaboration with the British think tank the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), held a seminar devoted to Russia and the Western Balkans. The meetings took place on 5 November at the headquarters of RUSI in London, and were led by Jonathan Eyal, Associate Director, Strategic Research Partnerships, and International Director at the Royal United Services Institute.
The Russia seminar addressed the UK’s policy towards Russia, as well as the relationship between the EU and Russia. The discussions also covered the political and socio-economic processes in Russia which will determine the country’s strategy on the international stage. The speakers included representatives of the British government, politicians and experts as well as representatives of the OSW, director Adam Eberhardt and Russian team expert Jadwiga Rogoża.
The seminar on the Balkans, entitled ‘Between London and Poznan: Promoting the Berlin Process in the Western Balkans’, was attended by representatives of the Polish and British foreign ministries and the diplomatic corps accredited in London, as well as British experts and commentators. The OSW was represented by deputy director Mateusz Gniazdowski and Marta Szpala of the Central European Studies team who presented their views on Polish involvement in the Western Balkans and the state and prospects of the Berlin process. They discussed the UK’s participation in the Berlin process and the Western Balkans summit, which took place in July 2018 in London, as well as Poland’s preparations for the next meeting in this format, scheduled to be held in Poznan in July 2019.
See also the Polish Press Agency (PAP)’s report: Polska może podzielić się swoim doświadczeniem (Poland can share its experience)
