Torun International Studies

7

Authors: Piotr Pacek, Olaf Truszczyński

The article deals with war, as experienced by human beings. The authors agree that war is materially and psychosocially costly. They present experts’ opinions who professionally examined emotions and attention issues as well as dealt with the problems related to the psychological aspects of war. The main conclusion is that it is impossible to take part in a real war without experiencing strong emotions and incurring high psychological costs associated with participation in war operations. Death, injury, sexual violence, malnutrition, illness and disability are examples of the most dramatic physical consequences, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety are some of the effects of emotional disorders. War also contributes to disrupting the normal course of family and social life, causing suffering to people, which is very characteristic of the course of hostilities. This paper shows how people, who experienced war, respond to traumas and it presents different views on possible reactions. It also lists the consequences of psychological nature caused by hybrid warfare.

10

Authors: Tomas Skripkiūnas, Valentinas Navickas

The aim of this research is to establish a methodological background for understating the real estate macro dynamics and the role played by architecture in explaining the real estate market value fluctuations. Although various models of the housing market fluctuations have been developed, the fundamental question of what drives the real estate market value is still peculiarly neglected. Housing market value fluctuations can be largely explained by macroeconomic fundamentals, housing market indicators as well as the social, political and cultural situation. After assessing these fundamentals of the real estate market value, other factors may be added such as short-term dynamics and irrational factors, contributing to an instantaneous unpredictability of the real estate market. Nowadays there is a belief in society that housing is an investment opportunity. An assumption can be made about the speculative and irrational nature of the housing market, having impact on the real estate market value. Comparing the housing market to the stock market, the housing market has much higher cost of carry and complicated administration to it; and therefore, the real estate market is highly inefficient. Because of the irrational nature of human behavior, similarly to stock prices, the housing market is driven by expectations. The originality of this research lies in the fact that irrationality of human behavior suggests looking at other sciences, with architecture being a tool to bring those irrationalities into the real estate market. Given that behavioral economics accounts for a significant part of irrationality of market behavior, the hypothesis can be ventured that architecture, as a human interaction in the process, can have its own causal role in fixing real estate market value.

11

Authors: Roman Stakanov, Anna Ukhova

Today a lot of research is devoted to migration issues, primarily because of its scale. Previously, this problem attracted economists, sociologists, lawyers, today it is a focus of attention of political scientists and researchers of international relations. Modern globalization processes are affecting the international labor market, creating free space for the movement of labor around the world. The steadily increasing trend of labor migration is accounts for the need to study it in its social, economic and political aspects. Virtual migration refers to a new form of transnational economic integration that does not require workers to literally move in physical space. The main purposes of the article are to analyze the reasons and background of virtual of highly skilled workers. The positive and negative aspects of robotization on employment of highly qualified persons in the conditions of globalized world are determined. The aim of the study is also to find the opportunities that the globalized information space offers today to attract labor to international exchange and to justify on this basis the expediency of new migration orientations and new types of migration. Considering the global problems of labor migration, we note that the process of migration is the so-called indicator of the population's response to changes in the life of any society that happen almost every day.

13

Authors: Denys Ivanov

This paper presents the comparative analysis of the specifics of the U.S. and U.K. strategies in the Balkans and the post-Soviet area with the definition and explanation of the differences in the political agenda of these two states. The political decisions of the U.S. and U.K. governments were supposed to create a global Euro-Atlantic security system by the enlargement of NATO and the management of the local conflicts. The transition from unipolar moment to multipolar international system determined U.S. withdrawal from liberal internationalism of the 1990s and its return to the containment strategy of political realism after the annexation of Crimea. The Russian geopolitical position was also analysed as important for understanding the current situation in international relations. The paper consists of five parts which include introduction, an analysis of U.S. and U.K. approaches towards the Balkan wars and Russia, escalation of tensions between the West and Russia caused by these events followed by some conclusion.

15

Authors: Ireneusz Ciosek

According to vast evidence material, Russia actively tries to influence the situation in Western societies by creating and aggravating uncertainty with the usage of weaponized information. It can be treated as an important part of Russian application of sharp power in the West. The purpose of the article is to explore the selected exemplifications of Russian activities and create a map of disruptive operations against the Western “hearts and minds”. The main scientific methods used in the study are desk research and content analysis. The employment of these methods is crucial to conduct the study of official Russian documents and identified cases of anti-Western information operations.

18

Authors: Dilan Prasad Harsha Senanayake

The regional security complex theory scrutinizes the security complexes including the security complex of South Asia grounded on security interdependency among states situated in a geographically coherent group which could be penetrated by the external powers. The formation of the regional security complex of South Asia was shaped by two major factors: 1. The rivalry between India and Pakistan; 2. The dependency of small nations over the regional hegemony of India. However, the massive plan of economic growth and connectivity- BRI introduced by China have changed these dynamics of the complex. The BRI changed the traditional understanding of the regional security complex of South Asia and forced to contemplate China as an internal member of the complex rather considering China as external power. The purpose of the study is to capture these changes and alter the theory to understand the South Asian security complex sophisticatedly by considering the smaller states of South Asia (Sri Lanka and Nepal). The case study method has been employed to derive influences from the BRI, and it is based on a wide range of sources, both primary and secondary. BRI has changed the traditional patterns of security interdependency of the smaller states of South Asia vis-à-vis big brother India while elevating the Chinese ability to redefine, reorganize, reshape, and reconstruct the security patterns of South Asia and establishing Chinese military supremacy in Indian backyard. The traditional security complex theory did not capture these changes and yet, the paper argues that the regional security complex can be understood comprehensively by transporting external powers into a given complex based on the criteria, to be qualified as an internal actor. To validate this claim, the paper will consider the case study of Chinese led BRI projects and the regional complex of South Asia.

9

Authors: Piotr Walewicz

The article is an operationalization of a new theoretical-methodological approach to analyzing International Relations discourse. The approach is based on the Critical Theory of International Relations and the concept of world-ecology. It re-conceptualizes the critique of mainstream International Relations theories and paradigms in a way which foregoes the Cartesian dualism of Society and Nature in order to analyze the subject through the dialectical power-capital-nature relation. The article analyzes two contemporary texts from “Foreign Affairs” which defend the realist and liberal theories. It shows that both discourses only stabilize the existing order without challenging it in any way or proposing radical ways of dealing with the ecological crisis. They either ignore environmental issues or treat them as solvable under the current political-economic status quo.

11

Authors: Nataliia Karpchuk, Bohdan Yuskiv

Political communication is a major factor in the democratisation of power relations, since the latter are based on public policy, ensuring a constant interconnection between political actors at all levels. Through political communication, it is possible to overcome the contradictions that complicate the democratisation of society. The article is a critical examination of the present-day communication interaction between the citizens and the government of Ukraine. The term developed here to describe this phenomenon is the communication discord between the citizens and the government provoked by the heterogeneity of interests and goals of society and factors associated with the activity of the government. Communication policy of the government is aimed at involving citizens in the decision-making process while communication activity of the citizens is oriented on the formation of public opinion, the exchange of ideas and arguments and, later on, on the influence on the government and the decision-making process. The distinction of these two communication processes is also facilitated by the tendency of mediatisation of communications in the modern world, related to technical development, the Internet and social media. Models of the communication interaction between the government and society are researched. Recommendations to improve the political communication of Ukraine’s Government are developed.

12

Authors: Piotr Pacek, Yuriy Danyk, Maryna Semenkova

The population’s tendency to protest or to get involved into conflict can be used as the method of the hybrid warfare in the targeted country or region. The frustrations are formed due to the actual or virtually created resentment in the community or among the population groups. The deterioration of the social and economic conditions and the lack of opportunities to change the life for the better as well as the growing sense of danger or the real threat to life and security – all these elements have caused the intensive migration processes in many regions of the world. As a result it is the main feature of the modern world to handle. The influx of refugees and migrants and settling down in the new areas cause the transformation of horizontal inequality among the migrants themselves and between migrants and locals. The intensification of the migration processes is a result from the peculiarities of the hybrid conflicts such as the powerful cognitive, information and psychological influence, use of different technologies including the manipulative ones. The possibility to manage the migration processes and, to a certain extent the migrants’ potential for conflict is becoming the feasible instrument to break down the system of regional and international security through the projection of conflicts to the places where the migration flows are directed.

13

Authors: Zofia Sawicka

The paper presents events in Algeria that led to fall of the long-term president of the country, Abd al-Aziz Bouteflika in April 2019 and examines the role of the new media in this process. The analysis explains the reasons of the failure of the Arab Spring in this country in 2011. Critical discourse analysis of Algerian new media conducted by the author shows that despite lack of active actions in 2011, youth movements appeared in Algeria and led the protests in 2019 not only in the Internet but also in the “offline” world. Currently, the discussion about political impact of new media focuses mainly on a question whether the power of protesting societies is sufficient to overthrow a government. According to the author of the paper, it is a single-dimensional approach to the problem, what has been proven by the example of Algeria. New media have become an inseparable part of contemporary societies and their discourse, serving as a platform for disseminating information, mobilizing and participating . In Algeria, despite the fact that social media "have not yet reached maturity" (among others, because of illiteracy, mismanagement, lack of freedom of speech and true democracy), they are gradually becoming political and media public spaces for those excluded from the mainstream politics and media. The social media have caused a situation where the Algerian government has to meet growing demands of society for a greater degree of democracy, justice and freedom of the press and freedom of opinion. With their help, people learned the techniques of social mobilization, developed structures of social movement and civil society. Effects of this activity can slowly be observed not only in Algeria but throughout the Arab world.

17

Authors: Roman Stanisław Czarny

The article attempts to present what seems to be of critical importance to the planet in terms of the influence on the life of all of us, namely the current changes occurring in the Arctic, as well as tries to show how complex the issue is. The main theme is the climate, presented also in a historical perspective. The work will also present the interesting connection between the Arctic and the two Nobel Peace Prize winners: one of the year 2007, namely Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr., and the other of the year 2010 to Liu Xiaobo of China, which brought us international tensions and affected Arctic deliberations as well. In addition, the work endeavors to describe briefly the role of the Arctic Council in responding to the problem and presents the countries vying for the participation in it, including their possible reasons for doing so. Through the example of China, a fairly new country with the permanent observer status in the Arctic Council, the author attempts to present the complexity of international relations and diversified interests of separate countries and organizations, as well as evaluates some potential developments in the Arctic geopolitical sphere.

19

Authors: Hanna Monika Wiczanowska

The purpose of the presented article is to resolve the issue of the existence of the common European standard regarding the blasphemous speeches and examine its efficiency for possible mechanisms of resolving the collussion between freedom of expression and freedom of religion. The presented analysis will be commenced with reference to the judicial practice of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the tension between freedom of expression and freedom of religion with addition to blasphemy. Through the prism of such analysis the author formulates hypothesis of the wide diversity between the States of the Council of Europe towards granting priority for one of the aforesaid freedoms in case of blasphemy. Secondary question refers to the influence of such diversity for the efficiency of protection of both: freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Subsequently the author will analyse the domestic regulations of Italy, Ireland and Austria to illustrate the occurring differences as well as search for optimal model of protection. The author will also refer to the statement of selected representatives of human rights doctrine. The conclusion part will focus on formulating recommendations for amplifying the efficiency of the common European standard regarding the presented issue. The author will rely mainly on legal dogmatic methodology with reference to the literal resonance of the legal regulations as well as judicial practice of the European Court of Human Rights as well as comparative analysis to unveil similarities and differences within presented States legal systems.

6

Authors: Nadiya Myroslavivna Kindrachuk

This article examines the end of the 60's – 70's of the XX century, the time characterized by intensification of repressive management of historical science in the USSR, the establishment of censorship and harassment, forcing the Ukrainian historians to serve the needs of the Soviet totalitarian state. Rejection of historical science from ideological foundations of the Communist Party was impossible. Ideological supervision of the intelligentsia in Ukraine and total control of historical research institutions started. Ruling Communist Party fought against dissidents, media and folowers of «Ukrainian bourgeois nationalism ideology», shaped prejudice to all national. The least manifestation of patriotism of Ukrainians was regarded as anti-Soviet activity. Ukrainians were reluctantly forced to feel inferior nation without its own long history.

7

Authors: Abduladhim Moamer Albegar, Szymon Dziuba, Hashem Saad Ahmed Ali, Omer Khlafalla-Omar

There are two food production processes that involve the replacement of one ingredient with other substance or a mixture of two or more products. One of them is adulteration of food products. This applies to high-cost and high-quality oils e.g. olive oil that is frequently subject to adulteration with other edible oils of lower value. Such a food fraud affects the quality of the gentle oil and the foods the ingredient of which is olive oil. The second action often applied to the oils is blending of the variety of products originating from many different regions and countries. Sometimes the oils originating from various sources and years are blended to create a consistent taste. The subject of this paper is the application of the multi-analysis method to assess the process of the blending of several oils and thus creating a new mixture to satisfy the market demand for new hitherto unknown oils, advertised as new products. For this task we construct a new system under the label of Special Modification Oil-SMO. The system consists of three parts: 1. Theoretical part, 2. Practical part; that is, an experimental part 3. The last part is the economic justification to fulfill market demand by launching new oils of high quality serving many purposes and at the same time being cheaper. Therefore, in this paper we mainly focus on the practical aspect of the issue; however, the economic justificatory criteria are of equal importance. Economics starts to be relevant once we start considering the possibility of producing the oils in question. The proposed SMO system has been used in these calculations to obtain the required composition of the blend destined for special application. The present work shows that the chemical parameters of the final mixture can be numerically calculated when the characteristics of primary components are known. The SMO procedure can constitute input data for theoretical evaluations. The SMO procedure computes the best mixtures for the new oil demanded by the market. According to the SMO’s formula, also the economic factors of a given undertaking are taken into account (that is, such technological factors as costs of different mixtures). The verification of experience finishes when certain economic ends are achieved.

9

Authors: Piotr Walewicz

The article signals the need for a deepened theoretical analysis of environmental issues in International Relations studies. It initializes the idea of “Greening” the Critical Theory of International Relations with critical concepts from other sciences. Thus it proposes the scope of Critical Theory of IR to be expanded to cover not only the relations between power and capital, but the relations of power-capital-nature. It shows common points between the Critical Theory of IR and the concepts of world-ecology and the Capitalocene by Jason W. Moore and proposes reforming some founding definitions that the Critical Theory of IR is based on. This includes re-conceptualizing the critique of capitalism as a way of organizing nature, but also distancing oneself from the Cartesian dichotomy of Society + Nature, which is an obstacle to properly including environmental issues in IR research.

11

Authors: Anna Moskal

The future of the European Union is a topic which frequently generates multiple heated debates amongst politicians, lawyers and political scientists. This issue is even more burning and contentious after the Brexit referendum, which is a turning point in the history of European integration. As an answer to the first withdrawal of a member state from the European Union the European Commission published the “White Paper on the future of Europe. Reflections and scenarios for the EU27 by 2025” which immediately came under fire from critics. In this publication five possible scenarios for the future development of the European Union were presented with a view to “launch a process in which Europe determines its own path”. In September 2017 the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, in his “State of the Union Address 2017” outlined his own unique and alternative sixth scenario for Europe’s future, which concentrates principally on freedom, equality and the rule of law. The main aim of this article is to compile and provide an analysis of the effect of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal on the European Union’s future development in the context of European integration. This paper consists of five parts which include the history of European integration, an analysis of the Brexit referendum and its impact, as well as a presentation of the 6 possible future development scenarios. The research methodology of this study combines both qualitative and quantitative methods.

12

Authors: Grzegorz Górniewicz

The aim of the article is to present the growth of the Polish external debt, with special consideration of its causes and methods of debt reduction. In order to achieve the aim of the article, a research method of descriptive comparative analysis has been applied. In the conclusions of the paper it is stated – among others - that external credits have been taken in order to decrease economic disproportions between Poland and highly developed countries. Considering the necessity of debt repayment, the due amounts have already become a considerable developmental barrier and a burden not only for the state budget but also for business entities. Undoubtedly, Poland is going to take more credits and to issue foreign bonds in the nearest future. Their use may turn out to be an important factor which shall determine the economic situation of the country.

13

Authors: Anton Moldovan

Military aggression conducted by Russia against Ukraine was a turning point on the scene of international relations, and, particularly, in Europe. The Russian aggression against Ukraine, completed by the illegal occupation and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula represented the first post-Cold War event when a state claimed under the spectrum of force a territory belonging to another state, whose borders are recognised under the international law. Russia’s aggression triggered a general concern in Eastern Europe. The Polish leaders were among the first European officials who vehemently condemned Russia’s actions. Therefore, this paper aims to explore Poland stance on Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and how the Polish leadership posture is then reflected in the new concept of the national security strategy. Thus, we focus on the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Poland (2014)

Julia Monika Mysłowska, Sylwia Sosin

Authors: 11

The American-North Korean conflict on nuclear weapons has been making headlines for a long time. The potential of both countries is unquestionable and has an enormous influence on the entire world. The nuclear dispute between the United States and the DPRK began with the Korean War in 1950s and has been growing since. North Korea has strengthen its nuclear capability and is threatening the United States, the territory of Guam island, and the entire human nation. The regime is the only country which has tested nuclear weapons in the 21st century. The American government has been raising the sanctions against Pyongyang and China has been trying to invite both sides for negotiations and to ease the worsening tensions on the peninsula. Washington puts a lot of hopes into Beijing being able to handle the threats from North Korea, but Chinese claim they do not have enough leverage to hamper Kim Jong Un’s regime. North Koreans, living under the constant control from the regime and propaganda, are separated from their families and the rest of the world. The Winter Olympics, which will be held by South Korea in February, 2018, gave both Koreas a chance to talk and to participate in the event together again, and maybe it is a possibility for the two sides to negotiate further agreements.

8

Authors: Andrzej Wawrzusiszyn

Poland interests and her policy are strongly determined by her geopolitical conditions. More than 40 years of people democracy under USSR domination brings in whole region civilization and economic backwardness. After 1989 Poland attempts to “catch up” the Old Europe. Initiative of Three Seas is one of such attempt. Increasing relations with central and southern Europe especially in case of diversification of raw materials – like gas – can bring to region an independence from Russian supplies. Three Seas goes back to conception of Intermarium, and redefine her on amended conditions of modern world. In this article the Authors will present short history of conception Intermarium, main assumptions of polish foreign policy and will try to answer the question is this conception is still present in polish foreign policy, even if in changed form of Three Seas.

9

Authors: Michał Dworski

The aim of article is to introduce to political life of polish emigration in United Kingdom in the years 1945-1990. In this paper I intend to present the history of polish emigres in Great Britain, which were forming Republic in exile - Poland beyond Poland. In the post-war period polish emigres were developing polish political scene basing on principles expressed in the Constitution of 1935. The main entities which shaping the emigration policy were President and the Government in exile, as well as the Parliament's substitute in the form of National Councils. Moreover, pre-war political parties were also important in polish political life in United Kingdom. They shaped the identity of emigration. The main goal of the Republic in exile was realized - centre of power in exile has retained a deposit of legality and continuity of the state. It became a symbol of independent Poland, which lasted despite the fact that the whole world turned away from it.

10

Authors: Uros Pinteric

Article is short review of political and economic transition period in the area of former Yugoslavia. Author compares two of its most important parts, Serbia as previous political centre and Slovenia as economically most advanced republic that also tried to democratize Yugoslavian federation already before Yugoslav disintegration. Author argues that transition in Slovenia started much earlier than only in the late eighties of previous century and at the same time he is trying to find comparatively how far Serbia and Slovenia are with transition process after more than 15 years later. According to the current situation analyzed in the comparative perspective Serbia has great potential for not only complete transition, but also to become centre of South-Eastern Europe.

14

Authors: Monika Bartczak

This paper covers the issues related to the Polish model of trade secret protection from the angle of harmonizing the European Union regulations stemming from the provisions of the Directive 2016/943 on the protection of undisclosed know-how and business information (trade secrets) against their unlawful acquisition, use and disclosure.

16

Authors: Patrycja Rutkowska, Marcin Adamczyk

The growing power of the PRC implies a change in the international and security policy of the country, and even the perception of the international environment by the members of the CPC. The White Paper of Defence, published every two years by the Ministry of National Defence of the People's Republic of China aims to explain the ongoing evolution. The present paper studies in depth the Chinese point of view of the potential challenges for security in the region of Asia and the Pacific.

7

Authors: Konrad Węgliński

The aim of this paper is to provide a general insight into the questionable nascence of the international custom in the context of cybersecurity and the most relevant attempt to draft a document regarding the subject matter from the Western perspective, taking into account the lack of any widely accepted international convention regarding the cyber security. Moreover, the paper analyzes legal requirements for finding a state responsible for a cyber attack by means of Article 2 of the ILC’s Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts. Specifically, it analyzes legal requirements necessary to attribute a certain conduct to a state. Also, it considers if cyber attacks in general can be treated as the use of force within the meaning of article 2.4 of the UN Charter. Moreover, it examines whether the doctrine of due diligence can be used while accusing a state for a breach of its international obligations.

8

Authors: Magdalena Redo

More and more results of econometric modeling research are showing the relationship between the value of general government deficit and the costs of public debt service. The correlation analysis conducted for the purposes of this work confirms strong negative dependence between the average general government balance (in relation to GDP) and the average yield of 10-year treasury bonds in 15 Western countries within the EU in the 1995–2015 period (sustaining higher deficits of general government are accompanied with higher costs of public debt service over a long period of time). Pearson’s correlation coefficient for the entire research period amounted to –0,78. This dependence increased after the breakout of the financial crisis – within the 2008–2015 period, Pearson’s r = –0,71, whereas during the 1995–2007 period, it was –0,63, which is consistent with the research results pointing out that the condition of public finances affects the decisions of investors in crises greater than in the relatively calm periods.

9

Authors: Jolanta Ciak, Rafał Płókarz

Credit rating agencies play an important role in the world due to the fact that rating has become a reliable indicator of the evaluation of a debt investment. A reliable agency that is globally recognised ought to be independent, objective, professional, ethical and substantive. Rating itself constitutes an opinion that concerns the possibility of servicing of payment obligations made by a given entity. It is also frequently defined as an independent and objective evaluation of credit risk of a given entity wishing to contract a debt. Rating is a dynamic category concerning the future, therefore each forecast is surrounded by uncertainty. Ratings of individual agencies may differ considerably. The aim of the article is to discuss the role of international rating as a credibility measure of a state, the role of credit rating agencies, of the rules of rating and of the level of rating for the countries of the European Union, especially given the fact that rating for a country is reflected in its credibility and attractiveness.

10

Authors: Grzegorz Górniewicz

The global scale of external debt is the greatest in history, which made it one of the biggest financial problems in the world. Poland has been among the greatest debtors for a few dozen years. The objective of the paper is to show the scale, reasons and tendencies concerning Polish external debt. Furthermore, in the present paper, Polish external debt was compared with the ones of Visegrad group countries.

11

Authors: Nadia Kindrachuk

The article analyses the All-Union censuses in 1959, 1970 and 1979 as a primary source for a comprehensive studying the population dynamics and the settlement of Ukrainians in different regions of the Ukrainian SSR during the 60’s – 70’s of the XXth century. The author has studied a state of preservation of their native language, has defined the factors which under the totalitarian regime negatively influenced the change of demographic processes, especially the ethnic composition of Ukrainian society at the outlined period. The article also describes the national policy of Soviet authorities which guided by the national priority of state and nationwide community of «the Soviet people» and ignored the value of an ethnic nation. The author also finds out that Ukrainians were the dominant nation almost throughout the USSR in the outlined period. The number of Ukrainian grew exclusively by natural population growth, while the number of representatives of the Russian nation increased as a result of internal republican migration. The article brings the idea that Ukraine was one of the centers of accumulation of immigration flows in the Soviet Union, and because of this fact the multicultural Ukrainian SSR society, which constituted basically of the Ukrainians, gradually turned into bi-national, where Ukrainian majority coexisted along with continuously growing Russian minority. Such resettlements were carried out primarily for political reasons and were aimed at the loss by native people their national characteristics – language, culture and the like. The main task of migration, which was run by the Soviet government was the assimilation, denationalization and the russification of the Ukrainian people which was hidden by slogans of rapprochement of nations.

13

Authors: Tetiana Sydoruk, Dmytro Tyshchenko

The article analyses the positions of the Visegrad Group and the Baltic countries on the Russia-Ukraine conflict that erupted in 2014. The authors prove that Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia are united by perception that the Russian aggression in Ukraine is a threat to their national security, they support for tough policy of anti-Russian sanctions in the international arena, and assist Ukraine and the level of declarations and at the level of action. Nonetheless , level of their participation and support for Ukraine depends on their actual capabilities and domestic and foreign policy priorities. Reactions of other V4 countries to events in Ukraine are more restrained and vary from quiet pragmatism in Slovakia to clear pro-Russian voices in the Czech Republic and Hungary. It is unlikely, however, that their position can be a real obstacle to the implementation of the common EU action in the near future.