Quelle: Istock

This study examines the strategic importance of the Danube in maintaining freedom of navigation in the Black Sea region, particularly in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its geopolitical complexity. The Danube has grown in importance the dynamics of the conflict have evolved and new lawfare methods emerged, particularly around the instrumentalization of marine trade routes. Freedom of navigation in the Black Sea has been significantly restricted by Russia's kinetic and hybrid actions resulting from its illegal aggression against Ukraine and its broader confrontation with the Euro-Atlantic world.

In the study, our partners from the New Strategy Center also examine the military potential of the Danube and its role in supporting Ukraine's war effort and the subsequent reconstruction efforts.