Central and Eastern Europe leverages rising NATO importance

Central and Eastern Europe is gaining significant geopolitical importance due to its role as a key area of NATO presence. Zygmunt Berdychowski, Chairman of the Program Council of the Economic Forum in Karpacz, noted that the region can leverage this increased strategic weight to attract new investments, provided it secures cheap energy, modern infrastructure, and a skilled workforce.

NATO has strengthened its deterrence and defense on the eastern flank, spanning from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea. The alliance currently maintains nine multinational battlegroups in Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. Recent security initiatives include the Eastern Sentry multi-domain operation launched in September 2025 and the Baltic Sentry mission, which began in January 2025 to protect critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.