Prof. Zdzisław Śliwa participated in the 11th edition of the annual “Conference on Russia 2026,” held on 5–6 March 2026 in Tartu, Estonia, and organised by the Baltic Defence College.

During the conference, Dr. habil. Zdzisław Śliwa took part in the expert panel entitled “Can Regional Coalitions Deter Russia’s Hostile Intentions?”, which addressed the role of regional security cooperation and coalition-building in deterring hostile actions by the Russian Federation and strengthening European security.

This year’s conference was held under the title “Perpetual Conflict: Russia and the Struggle for European Security.” The discussions focused on contemporary security challenges in Europe, particularly those affecting the Eastern Flank of NATO, including hybrid threats and broader strategic challenges posed by the Russian Federation. The conference aimed to analyse perceptions of Russia in the current geostrategic environment, examining Russia’s position within evolving geopolitical configurations and the transformation of the European security architecture following 2014, further intensified by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The event brought together representatives of the political sphere, armed forces, and leading experts on Russia from academia, policy institutions, and the private sector. The conference opened with a keynote speech by Lord George Robertson of Port Ellen, a Member of the United Kingdom House of Lords and former Secretary General of NATO (1999–2003). The concluding address was delivered by Marina Kaljurand, Member of the European Parliament, who discussed “Future Challenges and Solutions for European Security.”

As part of the conference, the organisers prepared a collection of expert papers titled “The Conference on Russia Papers 2026.” These materials are available on the conference website: https://www.rusconf.eu/conference-papers/

More information about the conference can be found at: https://www.rusconf.eu/