Military Diplomacy in the Balkans Through the Eyes of Research Students of the "International Relations and Global Studies" Programme

On April 17, at the Gorchakov Fund, experts of the Mediterranean Studies Center and students from the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs of the Higher School of Economics (HSE) discussed current problems and trends of military development in the Balkan region. Among the experts of the geopolitical situation in this area were renowned and merited researchers, as well as HSE students from the International Relations and Global Studies programme.

On April 17, at the Gorchakov Fund, experts of the Mediterranean Studies Center and students from the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs of the Higher School of Economics (HSE) discussed current problems and trends of military development in the Balkan region. Among the experts of the geopolitical situation in this area were renowned and merited researchers, as well as HSE students from the International Relations and Global Studies programme, Trifon Morozov and Yaroslav Skupov.

"On April 17, my colleagues and I presented our new report — 'Military Diplomacy in Southeastern Europe' — at the Gorchakov Fund. In this work, our team examines the development of military cooperation between the countries of the region and Great Powers both within various organizations and directly. We focused on the empirical component and current processes. I was responsible for researching France's activities in both English and French. The knowledge and skills I gained during my studies helped me a lot. For example, I learned how to work with sources in different languages, which allowed me to find all the necessary information and not get confused by its volume."

Yaroslav Skupov, a third-year student of the "International Relations and Global Studies" programme, research intern at the Mediterranean Studies Centre

 

 

For some students, military diplomacy is not only a research subject but also a true passion. For example, Trifon Morozov, a third-year student of the "International Relations and Global Studies" programme and an analytical intern at the Mediterranean Studies Centre, not only specializes in this field of international relations but also studies at the Military Training Centre of HSE. He shared the details of the report with the press centre editorial team:

"In our report, we made several key conclusions about contemporary military-political trends in the region. First, NATO’s creation of a demarcation line on the border with Russia using multinational battalions, which we referred to as 'limes' (referring to the network of defensive infrastructure of the Roman Empire). This process involves the use of the alliance's multinational brigades stationed in eight countries on the eastern frontier. Second, the formation of a 'patron-client' relationship system in the region, where Great Powers take smaller regional states under their wing for further development. For example, France is rapidly increasing its forces in Romania (especially in the air force aspect), while Italy is conducting numerous military exercises in Bulgaria. Third, an increase in the activity of police missions. There are currently two in Southeastern Europe: KFOR under NATO and EUFOR from the European Union. Despite being launched in the late 1990s - early 2000s, the missions' composition is being replenished with new countries, and the number and scale of exercises are growing."

 

 

The IRGS team is proud that the programme has become a place not only for acquiring new knowledge and acquaintances but also for the development of their scientific activities. We sincerely wish Trifon and Yaroslav good luck in their future endeavors and eagerly await new reports from them.

The report was prepared by T. Petrov, a first-year student of the IRGS programme within the "Press Centre International Relations and Global Studies" project.