The European Commission adopted a strategy to support regions that share a border with Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine on 18 February 2026. The Communication reinforces the European Union’s committment to support regions in nine member states – Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia – that have been particularly affected by hybrid warfare, weaponised migration, economic disruption, and demographic decline due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Five Policy Priorities for EU Eastern Border Regions
Following a declaration signed by the Baltic States and Poland in November 2024 that draw attention to the specific challenges of the EU’s eastern border regions and a call for evidence in 2025, the European Commission elaborated the strategy “Strong regions for a safe Europe” defining five priorities to extend political, technical, and financial support:
- Security and Resilience
- Growth and Regional Prosperity
- Building on Local Strengths
- Connectivity
- People
Next Steps Towards Implementation
The European Commission plans annual high-level political dialogues to discuss the EU’s actions outlined in the strategy and assess their impact on the resilience and development of the Eastern border regions. The first event will take place on 26 February 2026, when financial institutions will sign a declaration to launch the EastInvest Facility. Furthermore, the proposal for the next Multi-annual Financial Framework (2028-2034) will dedicate resources for the Eastern border regions in the National and Regional Partnership Plans.
Links
- Communication on the EU’s eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine
- Factsheet
- EC Audiovisual Portal – Support for EU Eastern Border Regions
Photocredit: European Union, 2024
