Geopolitically mapping Eastern Europe
- Clingendael researchers created an interactive geopolitical map of Eastern Europe, highlighting Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus and their ties to major powers
- The map shows how Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine reshaped regional and external relations
- Some countries, like Türkiye and China, have balanced between the warring sides more successfully than others, such as Hungary
- The EU should recognize its limited influence over some of these balancers and tailor its strategies to each actor’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests
The relationships on the European continent and beyond have shifted dramatically following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This policy brief uses Clingendael’s geopolitical mapping methodology to provide an overview of not only the changes that have occurred among the three Eastern European countries considered at the core of this analysis – Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova – but also their relationships with the wider region and global powers, and the consequences of those shifts for regional dynamics. It visualises how February 2022 crystallised these countries’ positions vis-á-vis each other and other regional and global actors and discusses the ramifications of the geopolitical dynamics in Eastern Europe for the EU approach, providing several recommendations.
Click on the interactive map below to get a full overview. Click on the connections between the countries to learn more.
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