Three Seas Initiative marks tenth anniversary but Hungary splits over Russia condemnation

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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

The Three Seas Initiative (TSI) – a regional forum made up of 13 member states around the European Union’s eastern flank – has marked the tenth anniversary of its founding with a summit in Warsaw.

The group announced that it is expanding to include two new associate countries – Montenegro and Albania – and two new strategic partners – Turkey and Spain. However, a joint statement condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine failed to achieve unanimity after Hungary expressed its opposition.

TSI, which is named for the fact that its members occupy the area between the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Seas, was launched in 2015 by then newly elected Polish President Andrzej Duda and his Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović.

It is intended to foster regional dialogue and boost investment, especially in transport, energy and digital infrastructure. The project was inspired by the “Intermarium” concept conceived by Polish interwar leader Józef Piłsudski to bring together the states of central and eastern Europe.

TSI’s original 12 members – Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia – were joined by Greece in 2023.

This year, Montenegro and Albania have joined Ukraine and Moldova as so-called “partner-participants” in TSI, while Spain and Turkey have become “strategic partners”.

“Regional cooperation is crucial for strengthening the standing of our nations in Europe and the world,” said Duda during his opening remarks at Tuesday’s summit. “By collaborating closely, we can ensure security for our countries.”

“In addition, the Three Seas Initiative enhances and fortifies the European Union through initiatives to strengthen transatlantic ties,” he added.

TSI has received support from Washington, including Donald Trump attending its previous Warsaw summit in 2017 and Joe Biden’s climate envoy, John Kerry, appearing at the Bucharest summit in 2023. This year, US energy secretary Chris Wright sent a message of support.

During his remarks, Duda noted that this year’s summit is his last as president. His second and final term in office expires in August this year. Given that he has been the driving force behind the initiative, there are question marks over whether and how it will continue in his absence.

Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, a leading Polish newspaper, reported this week that “there are signals from the [Polish] government camp that the format may be phased out after the presidential elections”. Duda is aligned with Poland’s opposition and has regularly clashed with the ruling coalition.

However, in his final address, Duda expressed hope that “the leaders of the Three Seas countries…[will] further develop this initiative and further build the potential of our countries” after his departure.

Another challenge facing TSI has been Hungary’s continued warm relations with Russia, in contrast to the rest of the group. This week’s summit was initially meant to be held in Budapest but was moved to Warsaw instead.

At the end of the event, a joint statement was issued “strongly condemning the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine”, “reaffirming our unwavering support for Ukraine”, calling for “accelerating the [EU] accession process with Ukraine”, and “holding accountable those who ordered or committed war crimes in Ukraine”.

However, Hungary issued a separate statement of its own saying that it “cannot align itself” with the elements of the joint statement relating to Ukraine and Russia, which “go beyond the new geopolitical circumstances”. However, it said it remains committed to TSI and to bringing peace in Ukraine.

Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

Main image credit: Przemysław Keler/KPRP

Daniel Tilles

Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.