The “GeoPolitics” International Summer School “Romania – Ukraine – Moldova Triangle: geopolitics and security strategies” was held on July 9–19 in The Ştefan cel Mare University in Suceava (Romania) and Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (Ukraine). At the conference the speech “Cross-border cooperation as the component of strategic security of Ukraine – Romania – Moldova relations” was presented by me, Oksana Tsisinska, the representative of the SI “The M.I. Dolishniy Institute of Regional Research of the NAS of Ukraine”.

Professors, PhD students and master’s degree students from Romania (Bucharest, Cluj–Napoca, Suceava), Republic of Moldova (Chişinău) and Ukraine (Lviv, Chernivtsi) were the participants of the conference. The students also were the participants and delivered their speeches in correspondence with the Summer School subject.

The narrators and students of Summer School discussed the urgent issues of security, geopolitics, frozen conflicts, geostrategic values, etc.

The war in the East of Ukraine is an important and up-to-date issue of modern time worldwide. Therefore, the International Summer School dwelled on the problems of geopolitics and security on the part of Ukrainian border that is adjacent to Russia. The matter of assistance to Ukraine in solution of this issue by world community, especially by the countries with considerable economic and political influence gained special attention of the event. Their opportunities, desires or direct inactivity in terms of solution of this situation were also discussed.

The professors and scientists of Romania, Ukraine and Moldova unanimously declared that such situation was the real threat to the countries of former Soviet Union. The Romanian colleagues also outlined the steps made by Romania and its authorities towards assistance to Ukraine in every possible way. This issue was especially covered at length by Bucharest University professor Vasile Simileanu, who dwelled on the subject “Romania – security donor for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova”.

The fact that Ukraine indeed loses to Russia the information war was also emphasized. The participants of School were openly asked the question: “Are Ukrainian authorities incapable to compete in this sphere or are they just ignoring or intentionally giving up?”

Video and photo samples of real situation in the East of Ukraine as well as real steps and actions of the representatives of Ukrainian Ministry of Defense were also shown. The geopolitical map of Ukrainian reality and possible changes in worldwide geopolitics in the future due to inefficient confrontation with enemy impressed and gave a lot of food for thought for the School participants.

Almost each speech related to Ukraine and situation in the East of its territory made the participants ask themselves the question: “Why don’t Ukrainian authorities tell the truth to their population, why do we have to obtain such information from the colleagues from neighbouring countries?” Ukrainian military attaché in Romania answered this question referring to the security regimen. Based on his professional position and status he explained some Ukrainian steps in the war with Russia, outlined the real situation and warned about the possible future actions of Russia.

The participants conflict through discussing and analyzing similar Russian actions in other countries of the world. Discussions on this subject contributed to understanding of this matter and to persuading Ukrainian participants that they were not left alone in this grief, but had the support of neighbouring Romania.

Moreover, according to the program of Summer School the participants listened to and discussed speeches of Chernivtsi National University professor Anatolii Kruhlashov, who emphasized the threats to regional security as the imperative of cooperation between Ukraine, Romania and Moldova, and Moldova State Institute of International Relations professor Ludmila Roska, who spoke about dialectic unity of internal and external policy of Moldova, as well as professor Lyubov Melnychuk, who dwelled on cultural diplomacy between the countries, and other representatives of scientific community.

The speech of Consul General of Romania in Chernivtsi Mrs. Eleonora Moldovan was also special. She made me and other participants see and sense her care and actions in establishing of good neighbour relations between Ukraine and Romania. Mrs. Consul General also wished the participants significant achievements and joint projects and actions and expressed her genuine interest and support.

The School was organized by Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, The Ştefan cel Mare University in Suceava, Ion Conea Geopolitical Association, Regional Center of Cross-Border Risks Research and Analysis (Suceava) and GeoPolitica Journal. I would sincerely like to thank them for such a hard work, which united us in further joint actions in terms of establishment of Ukrainian – Romanian – Moldovan relations and showed the participants of “GeoPolitics” International Summer School that they were not left alone in solution of their state problems, and there always were the countries, scientists or just individuals to support them.

Oksana TSISINSKA^