EU eastern flank steps up resilience as Russia’s war enters year five — continued development under hybrid threats in Elbląg

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) held an external seminar of its Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) in Elbląg on 10 April 2026 to take stock of the rapidly changing reality along the EU-Russia land border and to discuss how local and regional authorities can strengthen preparedness, resilience and cohesion in the EU's eastern border regions.

The seminar, entitled "On the EU-Russia border: perspectives and challenges for the EU border regions", brought together CoR members, elected representatives from regions and cities and experts to reinforce a clear political message: safeguarding the EU's eastern border requires sustained vigilance, stronger resilience and coordinated action across all levels of government. While the cities and regions at the border face new challenges to maintain the well-being and quality of life of their inhabitants and the economic development of their communities.

• Against a tougher security environment on the EU-Russia border due to Russia's aggressive policies in the context of its ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, the seminar focused on three priorities:
• it put forward the security and governance concerns common to border regions from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and beyond, including cyber-attacks, disinformation and the instrumentalisation of migration;
• it assessed the implications for territorial development and explored measures to strengthen preparedness, civil protection and institutional resilience;
  it identified concrete policy options to keep eastern border communities viable and competitive, while protecting social cohesion and the integrity of the EU internal market.

The discussion took place against a sharp deterioration of the security environment on Europe's eastern flank, with Russia's war against Ukraine continuing and pressure on the EU-Russia border increasing. To better understand the situation on the ground, seminar participants met local community leaders in the municipality of Braniewo, near the Poland-Kaliningrad border, and visited the Grzechotki-Mamonowo border crossing point. Discussions provided useful insights into the day-to-day challenges faced by border communities, such as declining economies and depopulation, but also into their aspirations in terms of stronger European cooperation.

Regions at the frontline of hybrid threats

The EU shares an approximately 2,500 km land border with Russia. Large sections are now effectively sealed and under strict surveillance. Border regions in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland -- including areas bordering the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, like Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region -- face a de facto new 'iron curtain': reduced mobility and trade, heightened exposure to hybrid threats and long-term structural constraints for regional development. Local and regional authorities in the EU's eastern border regions are often the first to detect and respond to hybrid threats, including disinformation, cyber-attacks, possible sabotage and the instrumentalisation of migration. They also carry a growing burden of ensuring continuity of public services under heightened security constraints affecting the resources at their disposal. By convening local and regional leaders in Elbląg and the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region, the CoR highlighted the perspective of border regions on security and resilience as part of the EU political agenda and underlined the need for sustained, targeted EU support, notably through cohesion policy and complementary instruments, like the recently unveiled European Commission communication on the EU's eastern border regions.

Delivering resilience and cohesion in eastern border regions

Participants discussed practical responses to hybrid threats and their implications for territorial governance, including preparedness, civil protection, cyber-security and crisis communication. They also examined how to safeguard continuity of essential services and social cohesion under prolonged geopolitical instability.

The seminar also addressed the socio-economic impact of disrupted trade and mobility and the risk of renewed isolation for border areas. Participants highlighted the importance of a robust, security-aware cohesion policy and of adapting interregional cooperation so that EU support effectively strengthened long-term resilience, competitiveness and strategic autonomy in eastern border regions.

In the second part of the seminar, participants reviewed policy approaches and implementation examples to help eastern border regions sustain development and quality of life despite disruptions to trade links, supply chains and people-to-people contacts. The discussion focused on actionable steps for local and regional governments, and on how EU-level instruments and cross-border cooperation within Europe, including with partners such as Ukraine and Moldova, could be mobilised to deliver measurable results.

Bringing the EU closer to citizens in border regions

Regions along the EU's eastern border face sustained security pressures and long-term socio-economic adjustment. As the level of government closest to citizens, local and regional authorities play a central role in preparedness and resilience, including protecting communities, countering hybrid threats and managing the effects of reduced cross-border exchanges. The seminar reaffirmed that local and regional authorities at the border are leading the response to this situation, while reinforcing the EU's eastern border requires a long-term, coordinated approach that matches security imperatives with cohesion and development objectives adjusted to the realities at the local level.

Quotes:

Marcin Kuchciński (PL/EPP), President of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region and member of the European Committee of the Regions: "We invited members of the committee to Elbląg, one of the largest cities in our region, located just 50 km from the Polish-Russian border. Thanks to our voices, Brussels is becoming aware of the specific challenges faced by our cities, municipalities, and regions - from Lapland to the Black Sea. The Commission has clearly acknowledged that they require a special status and new support mechanisms. Regions such as the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship are no longer merely border areas - they have also become guardians of European security. Although borders divide us, we are united by common goals and the belief that none of the challenges can be solved in isolation. We concluded that Elbląg is the best place to discuss new problems, challenges, and opportunities for the European Union's border regions. The seminar opened up space for a debate on the future of the EU's eastern border regions, which in the face of current geopolitical changes have gained strategic importance. The event combines a Europe-wide perspective focused on security and cohesion with a local view of the everyday challenges faced by residents."

Dovydas Kaminskas (LT/Renew Europe), Mayor of Tauragė District Municipality and member of the European Committee of the Regions: "One of the main slogans that we use in CoR is the 'Right to stay'. In the geopolitical situation that we have today, eastern European Union regions are the most vulnerable part of Europe, because they are the first to feel the impact of the turbulent geopolitical situation. Cyber-attacks, disinformation, propaganda, weaponised migration and air incursions create fear and diminish trust in democracy. Regions, cities and communities deal with these issues every day; therefore new incentives for businesses, new investment for better public services and new opportunities for citizens are needed for regions to at least have a possibility for cohesive progress in EU and for people to stay and live in their region."

Jacek Protas (PL/EPP), Member of the European Parliament: "Today, the security of the European Union and our entire community hinges on the security of its eastern borders -- the security of the eastern regions of our continent. I am very pleased that the majority of European politicians have understood this, and that today we are not only discussing new instruments and special support for these regions, but that concrete decisions have already been made to help us navigate this extremely challenging situation."

More information:

The EU's approximately 2,500 km land border with the Russian Federation runs along Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, including the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Since 2022, border areas have experienced a marked shift in their operating environment, with reduced cross-border mobility and increased exposure to hybrid threats.

The CoR is also preparing future work related to eastern border regions, including a forthcoming COTER opinion on the European Commission Communication on the EU's eastern border regions.

The European Committee of the Regions is the EU's assembly of local and regional representatives. CIVEX is the CoR commission responsible for citizenship, governance, institutional affairs and the EU's external relations.

Previous CoR work:

• 2025 - CIVEX external seminar in Prešov, Slovakia on cross-border cooperation with Ukraine;
• 2024 - CoR opinion on 'Defence of democracy';
• 2023 - CoR opinion on 'The role of local and regional authorities in countering disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference'.

Contact:
Wioletta Wojewodzka
Tel. +32 (0)2 282 2289
Mobile: +32 (0)473 843 986
[email protected]