Ulyana Rudnytska* THE PROSPECTS FOR BALTIC – BLACK SEA COOPERATION IN THE CONTEXT OF CURRENT RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN RELATIONS Abstract: This article proves relevance of the cooperation between the states of the Baltic and Black Sea region and reveals the prospects of Ukraine’s participation in interstate cooperation within the Baltic- Black Sea region in view of the current state of the international system and the conflict with Russia. Also the review of ideological and theoretical approaches to understanding the Baltic and Black Sea region is carried out and and its potential is emphasized from the point of view of policy of NATO and the EU. It is established that the priority of cooperation in the Baltic and Black Sea region is the transport, economic policy of the sphere. The emphasis is placed on distinctions between the certain states of the region (Russia, Turkey) concerning regional security. The need of attraction to coopera- tion for the Baltic and Black Sea region of a wide range of the states for the purpose of overcoming the unsuccessful experience of cooperation and creation of new effective regional security architecture is confirmed. Keywords: Baltic and Black Sea region; regional cooperation; regional security; Ukraine; Russia; Baltic States. 1. INTRODUCTION From historical perspective Russia always considered a  large part of  Eastern Europe, first of all the territory of Ukraine, as a component of its own geopolitical space. Thus the con- cept of  the  Russian power relying mainly, on  the military force, and the idea of  greatness of Russia as a superstate, has not only spatial and territorial measurement, but it’s also associ- ated with the spread of its cultural dominance. Torun International Studies 2015, No. 1 (8), pp. 99-107 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/TIS.2015.009 ∗ Lviv national University named after Ivan Franko, liana.rudnytska@gmail.com http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/TIS.2015.009 100 Ulyana Rudnytska Failure of the Russian efforts to keep Ukraine in an orbit of its geopolitical influence and obvious objection from Ukraine to merging with  Russia in  the  context of  realization of integration ideas of the Customs Union, induced Russia to launch a direct military as- sault. Annexation of Ukrainian Crimea and invasion of the Russian army in the southeast of Ukraine forced the international community to resort to reconsideration of bases of re- gional security and brought a question of the future of all international system on the agenda of the world community. The need for such approach, global by nature of statement of prob- lems, arose, first of  all, not only due to the rank of the parties in conflict or due to their territorial agreement, but also due to taking into account the violation of the basic principles of  functioning of  the  international community and threat of  distribution of  democratic principles of development of the sovereign states. From the geopolitical point of view, the question of allocation of «geopolitical spaces» doesn’t belong to objective aspects of international policy functioning. Substantially «geopo- litical spaces» are formed by attraction of the political means focused on maximizing advan- tage at an embodiment of certain kinds of a state policy by interested actors. Therefore, the modern nature of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, we can state, first, the failure to form the uniform Euroasian geopolitical space and loss of advantages from its functioning to Russia and, secondly, considerable ineptitude of  uniform European space formation the  integral component of  which would be Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. Unfortunately, integrity of this space still didn’t gain necessary expressiveness in representations of the European poli- ticians. The accompanying problem of the specified tendencies is uncertainty of the geopo- litical future of Russiaitself. It makes valid the importance of the Baltic and Black Sea region, the  development of  which as  a  separate geopolitical space contains considerable potential from the point of view of environment safety stabilization policy and deepening of coop- eration not only between the states located in its remit but also in the Euroasian continent in general. 2. UKRAINIAN mEASUREmENT OF gEOPOLITICAL TRANSFORmATIONS: IS IT THE PROSPECT FOR THE BALTIC AND BLACK SEA REgIONAL COOPERATION? Today it  is possible to  claim without exaggeration that there are considerable changes in  global geopolitical structure. A number of  analysts of  the  international relations even see in them the sign of the new “Cold War”. The main argument of supporters of this view is that the conflict in Ukraine is a classic example of geopolitical war, during which geopoliti- cal poles, without entering open opposition, combat in territories of other actors for estab- lishing the spheres of their respective influence. Therefore, in spite of the fact that Ukraine wasn’t directly involved in the formation of a modern world order and isn’t one of geopoliti- cal poles, it significantly influences the reformation of the global geopolitical structure. Researchers, in general, separate the following powerful consequences for a world order through the  Russian invasion into Ukraine: violations of  a standard and contractual basis of the international system and the related updating of the questions of collective security connected with it; creation of  unauthorized annexation precedent of  the  other state terri- tory; legitimization of military intervention in affairs of other states under cover of one’s own diaspora protection (the doctrine of «the Russian world» of Russia in its application concern- 101The prospects for baltic – black sea cooperation... ing the states in which ethnic Russians live); the resort to the so-called «hybrid war» which unites involvement of irregular troops, and also not military means of pressure (Horbulin, 2015, October, 23); incapacity of international safety organizations (UN, OSCE); the lack of the mechanisms of the international order (for example, «state gendarme» or «a concert of superstates») at the global level (Ischinger, 2014, October, 21). In new geopolitical conditions Ukraine is searching for the opportunities of devel- opment. Thus it  should take into account such factors as  the growth of  authoritarian- ism of  the  Russian power, strengthening of  nationalist sentiments among the  population of neighboring states (Hungary, Turkey), existence of the “frozen” conflicts in Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia and so forth. In our opinion, the dynamism of the modern political situation calls for the pursuance of safety, which could result from the cooperation the regional level for Ukraine. Therefore, the purpose of the present article is to find out the conditions of development and prospects of the Ukrainian relations with the states of the Baltic and Black Sea region. It is necessary to  notice that questions of  Ukrainian regional cooperation were covered in  the  researches by the leading Ukrainian and foreign scientists and analysts: O. Zarubinskyi, V. Madisson, O. Poltrakov, A. Riley, L. Rassokha, V. Slovian, O. Sushko, V. Chornyi, V. Shakhov. Based on  their conclusions and using methods of  the  event-analysis, forecasting, synthesis and generalization, this article will aspire to realize four main objectives. First, we will present the main approaches to validation of the Baltic and Black Sea cooperation in a scientific dis- course; secondly, we will analyse prerequisites of enhancing of cooperation in the Baltic and Black Sea region; thirdly, we will define priority enhancing the cooperation that Ukraine can join; and, fourthly, we will find out prospects and risks which can arise on the way of real- izing the cooperation in the Baltic and Black Sea region. 3. IDEOLOgICAL FUNDAmENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE BALTIC AND BLACK SEA REgIONAL COOPERATION Considering a situation faced by Ukraine today– critical strain of relations with Russia and complication of process of rapprochement with the European Union because of the conflict in the east of the country, alternative option of cooperation is the Baltic and Black Sea re- gion. The idea of  development of  the  Baltic and Black Sea region was put forward by S.Rudnytskyi and Yu. Lypa in the first half of the XX century. Except domestic scientists, the great value of a Baltic–Black Sea Union was provided by the classic of the Polish geopo- litical thought Yezhy Nebzhytski (Richrd Vraga), in the work «Geopolityka: strategija and granice» (1945) he proved the thesis about an outstanding role of the Baltic and Black Sea region on «the map of Europe». In particular, the scientist claimed that the space between Baltic and Black seas constrains expansion of  the  Western Europe states to  the  east and vice versa (Potocki, 2009). Considering the  significant potential of  the  Baltic and Black Sea region, the western and east neighbors tried not to allow for the creation of a uniform political and cultural organism. According to  Ye. Nebzhytski, the origin of  political axes in the direction from the north to the south within the Baltic and Black Sea region happened in the X century. In particular, Ukrainian researchers Vadym Madisson and Vleriy Shakhov in the monograph «Modern Ukrainian Geopolitics» (2003) note the necessity of adjustment 102 Ulyana Rudnytska of the Baltic and Black Sea region cooperation: «From the point of view of the geostrategic situation, Ukraine can be «the natural intermediary» between regions of the Baltic and Black seas» (Maddison, Shakhov, 2003). According to their belief, cooperation on an axis «North- South» will promote strengthening the safety in this part of Europe. In the article «Prospects of Balto-Black sea Cooperation» (2005) Oleh Zarubinsky and Volodymyr Chornyy also put an emphasis on efficiency of regional cooperation. Here, first of all, it is about the transport capacity of the region (Zarubinskyy, Chornyy, 2005). Another Ukrainian scientist Oleh Soskin, the  director of  Institute of  Society Transformation, con- centrates on the following main modules of the Baltic and Black Sea cooperation: transport, connected with overland freight transportation by rail; pipeline, which is based on the de- velopment of the international oil pipelines system and the formation of the international oil consortium; shipping, providing transformation of the Black Sea to a complex transport system with use of experience of shipping by the Baltic Sea (Soskin, 2014). Yulian Skzhyp emphasizes that cooperation in the sphere of defense in the Baltic and Black Sea region has a  strategic importance. He, in  particular, defines an  axis Gdansk  – Odessa as  an  important transport corridor and an  outpost against potential threats from the East (Sykulski, 2013). Alan Riley, professor of the London City University, points to the prospects of power co- operation within the Baltic and Black Sea region. He claims that on the basis of the Ukrainian gas pipelines (with a  general extent about 40 thousand km.) and the  largest gas storages in Europe, it is possible to create powerful gas trade center (hub). A. Riley also considers slate gas as a prospective production in the west of Ukraine and in Poland. If these two countries are able to join forces and they begin to extract shale gas together, this project will provide significant dividends and will allow to get rid of gas dependence on Russia (Riley, 2015). 4. COOPERATION POTENTIAL IN THE BALTIC AND BLACK SEA REgION The idea of development of the Baltic and Black Sea cooperation for Ukraine is attractive for several reasons. First, as it was noted above, the Black Sea region has the considerable potential connected, first of all, with use of its shelf that will give the chance independently to extract oil and gas independently. Within regional cooperation with Turkey there is a pos- sibility of  development of  metallurgical industry. The prospective branch of  cooperation is the ecology (Smirnov, 2011).1 In the Baltic direction, it is expedient to recall the experi- ence of Poland and the Baltic States related to implementing reforms, modernizations and diversifications of power branch and try to follow its example. Secondly, reasonable prospects of  logistics is  cooperation in  transport, transit and communication areas. Back in 2003, together with Lithuania and Belarus within the in- ternational transport corridor No. 9 the railway project of the combined transportations «Viking» along a  route Ilichivsk  – Klaipeda was launched. This corridor, on  condition 1 A. Смірнов, Балто-Чорноморський регіон. Геополітичний аспект, , http://www.kymu. edu.ua/vmv/…/smirnov.pdf 103The prospects for baltic – black sea cooperation... of joining with a ferry railway line which connects Ukraine and Turkey, can receive an exit to the Middle East. Also do not leave without attention Latvian initiative of restoration of the shortest «Daugava-Dnieper» Waterway and railway communication Libava – Romny, there is since 1874, and also an  Estonian offer to exploit the  opportunities of  the  Estonia developed ports for expansion of communications with the countries of Scandinavia (Zarubinskyy, Chornyy, 2005, March, 5). According to the Ukrainian researcher Yuriy Romanenko, in the plane of cooperation with Turkey it is expedient to concentrate on an autobahn construction round the Black Sea which will «be attached» to the Caspian hub (Romanenko, 2015), and the logistics will develop in China further. In this context it is necessary to notice that China considers the North Black Sea region a part of the Great silk Way. Thirdly, security aspect is important after all considerable part of the states of the re- gion bordering either the  European Union or with Russia. So, in  modern conditions cooperation in  the  sphere of  defense both for Ukraine, and for the  Baltic States and Poland makes mutual benefit. In 2014 discussion of an initiative of creation of the Polish- Lithuanian-Ukrainian military crew took place. Estonia declared its readiness to  help Ukraine with creation and development of cyber defence (Slovyan, 2014). Emergence of the Baltic and Black Sea union can appear to be a favorable factor for the EU and NATO as on their borders there will be a desired «buffer organization» that separates Western Europe from the countries of Central Asia – a source of illegal migra- tion and drug traffic. Regional cooperation also allows to  combine efforts of  the  states in fight against corruption and to promote counteraction to soft threats to security, settle- ment of the frozen conflicts, according to the European principles, «by their removal from a «Post-Soviet» paradigm»(Sushko, 2007) and also to interact in the information sphere. Thus, the part of the obligations of military character assigned to NATO and the EU will be able to somehow aid the states of the Baltic and Black Sea Union (Slovyan, 2014). 5. PRIORITIES OF COOPERATION OF UKRAINE IN THE BALTIC AND BLACK SEA REgION At the state level the initiative of activization of the Baltic and Black Sea cooperation was tak- en by the president of Lithuania A. Brazauskas in 1997. In two years in Klaipeda (Lithuania) presidents of Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine discussed joint projects on the creation of op- timum transit routes, which would have practical geoeconomic value in  communications between Baltic and Black seas. In August, 2005 the  president of  Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko and the  president of Georgia Mihail Saakashvili took the initiative to call in Ukraine the summit with partici- pation of leaders of the countries of the Baltic and Black Sea and Caspian region, Russia and the USA. Subsequently this initiative was supported by Latvia and Romania. On December 2 of the same year the constituent meeting of Community of a democratic choice or “com- munity of democracies of the Baltic and Black Sea and Caspian region” took place, which was attended by the presidents of Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Romania and Georgia, and also representatives of  Poland, Azerbaijan and Bulgaria (Rassokha, 2009). 104 Ulyana Rudnytska It is worth noting that issues which were touched upon at the summit, are still valid in our times. As it is specified in the declaration of the countries of Community of a demo- cratic choice, the purposes and problems of this forum is safety in the region, cooperation in the economic and social sphere, fight against terrorism, money laundering, drug traffic, the  weapon and people, counteraction of  ethnic and religious hatred all the way to  sepa- ratism; support of  independent mass media and public organizations; exchange of  ideas concerning democratic transformations (Joint Comunique, 2006). In May, 2006 in Vilnius the  «General Vision of  the  Joint Neighbourhood» conference took place, it  was devoted to problems of the Baltic and Black Sea cooperation. The summit was organized at the initia- tive of presidents of Lithuania and Poland – Valas Adamkus and Leh Kachynsky. It is  necessary to  notice that if the  situation for development of  cooperation with the states of the Baltic region is favorable, in the case of the Baltic Sea states, the situation can be difficult. Considering that the safety issue in the context of modern events rose especially sharply, obstacles can arise, in particular, to the clear perception of the cooperation features by the different states and ways of regional development. 6. PROSPECTS AND CHALLENgES OF THE REALIzATION OF COOPERATION IN THE BALTIC AND BLACK SEA REgION Russia and, partly, Turkey, which apply for the  role of  regional leaders, hold special posi- tions in  security issues in  the  Black sea region. Both countries oppose the  strengthening of the NATO presence here and defend their own vision of regional cooperation on secu- rity issues. Professor of  Economic and Technological University in  Ankara M. Tselipkala in  the  report of  the  Commission on  the Black Sea confirms the  difference of  the  Russia position on this issue from the approaches of other States (Tselipkala, 2010). Factors that may affect the security issues in the region, among other things, classifies non-state actors, frozen conflicts and unrecognized breakaway territories, the presence of refugees. Instability of individual states makes the region one of the “hot spots” in the world where such threats as terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, illicit trafficking of drugs, arms and people can develop. Given these circumstances, the  issues of  security in  the  region is of paramount importance. Yordan Bozhilov, the former Bulgaria Minister of Defence, and presently – the chair- man of the Forum on safety in Sofia (Bulgaria), supports the previous approach. In the ar- ticle «The Black Sea Region Needs New Architecture of Safety» he, in particular, notes nu- merous attempts to adjust regional cooperation in the sphere of safety, none of which being productive (Bozhilov, 2014). On Bozhilov’s belief, BLACKSEAFOR, the  Agreement on  creation of  the  Working group of  naval cooperation in  the  Black Sea, was the  most effective project within which the cooperation was launched. Cooperation in  the  sphere of  peacekeeping and stability in the region by mutual trainings of the Navies was the purpose of this project, which was begun in 2001. The following initiatives also had similar character: The contract on creation of security measures in the naval sphere in the Black Sea;2 “Border cooperation of the Black 2 The document was signed on April 25, 2002 in Ukraine. It was called to provide mutual under- standing, openness and security. 105The prospects for baltic – black sea cooperation... Sea” and Information center in Bourgas (Bulgaria).3 It should also include attempts to create a political format of cooperation – «The Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership», initiated by Romania in 2006.4 “Harmony of the Black Sea” was the Turkish initiative di- rected at keeping of  safety in  the  region. However, considering that other states invited to join this initiative, did not always divide approaches of Turkey to cooperation in the Black Sea, “Harmony of the Black Sea” had no chances to become the real regional organization (Bozhilov, 2014). According to Y. Bozhilov, “...Today the Black Sea is a region in which division of [inter- ests] passes between Russia and the European Union and NATO. It fills the region not only with internal disagreements, but also gives rise to conflicting interests” (Bozhilov, 2014). To resolve safety issues in the Black Sea, it is necessary to develop new approaches and a format of  cooperation. A key problem, according to  the  author, is  the modern conflict between Russia and Ukraine due to which there is an urgent need to create of new architecture of re- gional security. This architecture of  security has to  cover the  countries from the  Black Sea region in broad understanding which face similar problems and calls for safety, including Armenia, Azerbaijan and Moldova. The new system has to have various levels – political, military, po- lice and other. Considering the specified security threats, and also unrealized initiatives, it is necessary to restore effective regional cooperation and to bring closer cooperation between the countries of the Baltic region. 7. CONCLUSION Modern events of  local and global character induce Ukraine to  search for its own place in  world geopolitical structure. Turbulence of  world politics, having taken Ukraine, confirmed J.  Rozenau’s thesis that all events which occur at the  local level, are reflected in the global one. Therefore, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine loosened the interna- tional system and called into question a modern international order. However, despite dif- ficult conditions, Ukraine had a chance to realize itself as a full actor of international policy and to take its own place in geopolitical structure of the world. The idea of the Baltic and Black Sea cooperation is based on a considerable theoretical groundwork of both the Ukrainian, and foreign scientists of the past. Both modern politi- cians and the top officials of the states of the region are supporters of closer regional rela- tions. Considering it, many initiatives in  various spheres were introduced, none of them were completely realized. On the basis of theoretical groundwork consideration and the in- troduced initiatives we can claim that the priority and perspective directions of cooperation are the power policy and spheres, and also the sphere of transport and communications. Interaction of the region states in these directions will give the chance to resolve a num- ber of the vital issues, first of all, such as power independence. Along with advantages and opportunities, a  number of  factors which can complicate cooperation are at play. In par- 3 Initiative among all riparian States, started with the aim of combating illegal migration, trafficking in drugs, weapons and illegal fishing. 4 The  creation of  the  forum was preceded by the  idea of  regular meetings of  state heads and government of the countries of the black sea basin to discuss all security issues of the region. 106 Ulyana Rudnytska ticular, it is about difference of opinion of the certain states on development of the regional relations in certain spheres. Prospects of  further researches of  the  problem under consideration are connected with the need for  scientific research and justification of  an appropriate place of  Ukraine in the global political and economic systems. The creation of the mechanism of realization of the Ukrainian national interests at the global and regional levels would become a practical result of scientific research. Enhancing cooperation at the regional level will give the chance to  Ukraine to  come nearer to  standards of  the  European and euroatlantic structures and to come to qualitatively new level in global system of the international coordinates. REFERENCES Гaзпpoм cлaб. Бpитaнcкий экcпepт paccкaзaл, кaк Укpaинe избaвитьcя oт гaзoвoй пeтли Poccии, http://www.m.nv.ua/publications/gazprom-slab-britanskiy-e- kspert-rasskazal-kak-ukraine-izbavitsya-ot-gazovoy-petli-rossii. Гopбyлiн В. «Гiбpиднa вiйнa» як ключoвий iнcтpyмeнт pociйcькoї гeocтpaтeгiї peвaншy. Дзepкaлo тижня. 23.10.2015, http://www.gazeta.dt.ua/interna/gibrid- na-viyna-yak-klyuchoviy-instrument-rosiyskoyi-geostrategiyi-revanshu. Зapyбiнcький O., Чopний В. Пepcпeктиви Бaлтo-Чopнoмopcькoгo cпiвpoбiтництвa // Дзepкaлo тижня. – 2005. -№ 8 (536). – 5-11 бepeзня, http://www. dt.ua/2000/26/75/49403/. Maдиccoн В., Шaхoв В. Cyчacнa yкpaїнcькa гeoпoлiтикa. – K., 2003. 174 c. Paccoхa Л. Cпiльнoтa дeмoкpaтичнoгo вибopy: нoвi мoжливocтi й пepcпeктиви, http://www.old.niss.gov.ua/MONITOR/januar2009/4. Poмaнeнкo Ю. Чтo Зaпaд тaк и нe ycлышaл oт Пopoшeнкo нa фopyмe в Дaвoce, http://www.hvylya.net/analytics/politics/chto-zapad-tak-I-ne-uslyshal-ot-poro- shenko. Cлoв’ян В. Нoвий вимip бeзпeки Бaлтiйcькoгo peгioнy тa пepcпeктивa Бaлтo- Чopнoмopcькoгo пpoeктy, http://www.defense-ua.com/rus/hotnews. Cмipнoв A. Бaлтo-Чopнoмopcький peгioн. Гeoпoлiтичний acпeкт, http://www.kymu. edu.ua/vmv/…/smirnov.pdf. Cocкiн O. Пepeдyмoви тa шляхи фopмyвaння Бaлтo-Чopнoмopcькoгo cпiльнoгo pинкy, http://soskin.info/ea/2001/2/20010278.html. Cyшкo O. Дeмoкpaтичний пopядoк дeнний для Cхiднoї Євpoпи i пepcпeктиви Cпiльнoти дeмoкpaтичнoгo вибopy, http://www.eu.prostir.ua/library/1779. html. Bozhilov Y. The  Black Sea Region needs new security architecture. Harvard black Sea se- curity Program. 2014, 128 p, http://www.harvard-bssp.org/static/files/442/black_ sea_2014.pdf. Celipkala M. Seurity in the Black Sea Region. Policy report II, http://www.blackseacom.eu http://www.dzkk.tsk.tr/denizweb/blackseafor/english/agreement/agreement.php. Ischinger W. Why Ukraine matters to  India, www.dailyo.in/politics/why-ukraine-matters- -to-india. Joint Communiqué, http://www.vilniusconference2006.lt/sen/lib/download/20. http://www.m.nv.ua/publications/gazprom-slab-britanskiy-ekspert-rasskazal-kak-ukraine-izbavitsya-ot-gazovoy-petli-rossii http://www.m.nv.ua/publications/gazprom-slab-britanskiy-ekspert-rasskazal-kak-ukraine-izbavitsya-ot-gazovoy-petli-rossii http://www.gazeta.dt.ua/interna/gibridna-viyna-yak-klyuchoviy-instrument-rosiyskoyi-geostrategiyi-revanshu http://www.gazeta.dt.ua/interna/gibridna-viyna-yak-klyuchoviy-instrument-rosiyskoyi-geostrategiyi-revanshu http://www.dt.ua/2000/26/75/49403/ http://www.dt.ua/2000/26/75/49403/ http://www.old.niss.gov.ua/MONITOR/januar2009/4 http://www.hvylya.net/analytics/politics/chto-zapad-tak-I-ne-uslyshal-ot-poroshenk� http://www.hvylya.net/analytics/politics/chto-zapad-tak-I-ne-uslyshal-ot-poroshenk� http://www.defense-ua.com/rus/hotnews http://soskin.info/ea/2001/2/20010278.html http://www.eu.prostir.ua/library/1779.html http://www.eu.prostir.ua/library/1779.html http://www.harvard-bssp.org/static/files/442/black_sea_2014.pdf http://www.harvard-bssp.org/static/files/442/black_sea_2014.pdf http://www.blackseacom.eu http://www.dzkk.tsk.tr/denizweb/blackseafor/english/agreement/agreement.php http://www.dailyo.in/politics/why-ukraine-matters-to-india http://www.dailyo.in/politics/why-ukraine-matters-to-india http://www.vilniusconference2006.lt/sen/lib/download/20 107The prospects for baltic – black sea cooperation... Manoli P., The  Dynamics of  Black Sea Subregionalism, http://books.google.bg/books?id= Lkdl0ET2sXoC&pg=PA13&hl=bg&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage- &q&f=false. Potocki R. Geopolityka miedzymorza w rozwazaniach Ryszarda Wragi. Geopolityka 2009, No. 2(3), http://geopolityka.net/geopolityka-miedzymorza-w-rozwazaniach- ryszarda-wragi/. Sykulski L.,  Europa Srodkowa jako region geostrategicznyw mysli geopolitycznej geo- grafow wojskowych z Akademii Obrony Narodowej w Warszawie. “Przegląd Geopolityczny”, 2013, vol. 6, 202 s.