The webinar was possible thanks to the efforts of the visiting scholars from the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (Poland) who attended Political Science and International Relations department via Erasmus Plus teaching mobility program. Tomasz Stępniewski, Associate Professor at the Institute of Political Science and International Affairs, presented his research “Russia, Ukraine’s Donbas, and NATO’s Eastern Flank Security Dilemma” that was published as a book in 2018 by Columbia University Press titled “Ukraine After Maidan: Revisiting Domestic and Regional Security”. Associate Professor Dr. Bartosz Jóźwik, Head of the International Economics Department of Lublin Catholic University, presented a research titled “The Economic Growth and Environmental Degradation in Central European Countries”.
During his presentation, Deputy Director of Institute of Central Europe (Lublin, Poland), Dr. Tomasz Stępniewski, paid particular attention to the security issues of the wider Europe underlying the fact that COVID-19 pandemic and recent developments on the Eastern border of Ukraine overshadowed the strategy of the NATO regarding Eastern European states. Dr. Stępniewski discussed NATO’s interests in Eastern Europe, Russia’s role in Ukrainian crisis including invasion and annexation of Crimea as well as Russia’s aspirations in Ukraine and summarized the impact of the Ukrainian crisis. Dr. Stępniewski’s presentation provoked a bulk of questions from the audience. In this context, addressing the question about Poland’s purchase of Turkish Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicle systems, Dr. Stępniewski noted that despite the fast decision on purchase and the existing debate in the Polish society over the deal, cooperation between Turkey and Poland within NATO framework is a positive step in security cooperation. Dr. Stępniewski also mentioned the role of Romania in the triangle of Turkey–Poland–Romania stressing that these three countries belong to the NATO’s Eastern Flank. Therefore, taking into consideration Russia’s threat for Poland, such deal on the newest technologies has a particular significance for the security of Poland.
In his turn, Dr. Bartosz Jóźwik paid particular attention to the CO2 emissions and economic growth in Central European states. Addressing the questions of the students, Dr. Bartosz Jóźwik, who also is an Erasmus Program Coordinator at the Department of International Economics, elaborated on the fast development of the environment economics field of study and discussed the impact of COVID-19 on Polish economy, environment and Erasmus mobility program. Dr. Jóźwik also mentioned the importance of Erasmus mobility program for the economic and academic cooperation between the states.
Summarizing the discussion at the webinar, Dr. Bartosz Jóźwik and Dr. Tomasz Stępniewski underlined the importance of the Erasmus Plus teaching mobility and their readiness to develop and deepen cooperation with Istanbul Gelisim University and particularly department of Political Science and International Relations.
