Mission
The Eastern Flank Institute is a research center established in 2025 with the goal of conducting comprehensive analyses of security policy in Central and Eastern Europe, with particular emphasis on the lessons learned from Ukraine’s defensive war. Poland plays a special role as one of Europe’s largest military powers, and its position on NATO’s Eastern Flank is of key importance. Until now, strategic reflection in Poland has lacked a broader perspective—one that highlights the challenges faced not only by Warsaw, but also by other capitals in the region that must safeguard their agency on the international stage.
Instytut Wschodniej Flanki
The Eastern Flank Institute is a nonpartisan think tank registered in Brussels, integrating a network of experts primarily representing NATO’s Eastern Flank countries and Ukraine. The Institute conducts analytical work in cooperation with renowned experts and focuses on public commentary and organizing open debates that encourage free exchange of ideas. We welcome contact from experts and professionals with experience in the field of national security.
The Institute’s key areas of interest include:
- protection of critical infrastructure.
- organization of the national defense system and the activities of uniformed services,
- transformation and modernization of the armed forces,
- strengthening the resilience of state structures and society under crisis conditions,
- coordinated support for the development of the defense industry.
Institute’s Outputs
- Collecting data and disseminating knowledge about challenges to security and defense policy in Central and Eastern Europe,
- Formulating realistic recommendations for systemic reforms (at both the strategic and operational levels) in security and defense policy, taking into account the region’s specific context, lessons from Ukraine’s defensive war, and the opportunities arising from allied cooperation,
- Creating a dialogue platform for representatives of the military, government, expert, and business communities engaged in security issues.
Advisory Board
Michał Dworczyk
Former Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland, former Deputy Minister of National Defense. Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE). Chair of the Advisory Board of the Eastern Flank Institute.
Graduate of the Faculty of History at the University of Warsaw and the Faculty of Security at the War Studies University.
Member of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) for the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th terms. From 2008 to 2010, adviser to President Lech Kaczyński.
From 2017 to 2023, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and Member of the Council of Ministers. In 2024, elected Member of the European Parliament, where he serves on the Subcommittee on Security and Defence.
As Deputy Minister of Defense, he was responsible, among other things, for establishing the Territorial Defense Forces, and as Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, he coordinated humanitarian and military aid during the first months of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Bartosz Cichocki
Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Ambassador of Poland to Ukraine.
Between 2017 and 2019, he served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs responsible for Eastern, European, and security policy. From 2019 to 2023, he held the post of Ambassador of Poland to Kyiv. Previously, he worked as Adviser to the Head of the Foreign Intelligence Agency and served at the Embassy of Poland in Moscow, the KARTA Center, the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), and the National Security Bureau. Graduate of the Institute of History at the University of Warsaw.
Jadwiga Emilewicz
Former Deputy Prime Minister, former Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology. Vice President of the Sobieski Institute.
Associated with the Jagiellonian Club, the Center for Political Thought, and the Sobieski Institute, where she has developed her intellectual and publicist work. Member of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) of the 9th term. Since 2015, she has held various government positions, including Deputy Minister of Development and later Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology. From 2019 to 2020, Minister of Development, and in 2020, Deputy Prime Minister in the government of Mateusz Morawiecki. Since 2023, as Secretary of State, she has been responsible for coordinating Polish aid and preparations for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Her expertise includes innovation policy, industrial policy, and European integration. Graduate of the Institute of Political Science at the Jagiellonian University and Wadham College, University of Oxford.
Ołeksandr Kubrakow
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, former Minister for Infrastructure of Ukraine.
From 2021 to 2024, Minister for Infrastructure of Ukraine; following a merger of ministries, he headed the new Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development while simultaneously serving as Deputy Prime Minister. During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he coordinated logistics projects, including arms import operations. Since January 2025, he has served as Adviser to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine on logistics.
Graduate of the Kyiv National Economic University. Member of the Verkhovna Rada since 2019.
Ołeksij Reznikow
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, former Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
From 2016 to 2018, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration. From 2020 to 2021, Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, and from 2021 to 2023, Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine. He played a key role in coordinating international military aid and reforming the armed forces during Russia’s full-scale invasion. Outside politics, he is also active as a lawyer and public figure.
Graduate of the Faculty of Law at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. For many years, he was involved in Kyiv’s city administration, serving as Deputy Mayor and Secretary of the City Council.
Tomasz Szatkowski
Former Permanent Representative of Poland to NATO (2019–2025), former Deputy Minister of National Defense.
From 2015 to 2019, as Deputy Minister of National Defense, he was responsible for organizing the NATO Summit in Warsaw, strengthening allied troop presence in Poland, and conducting the Strategic Defense Review.
Previously active in the defense sector within think tanks, he has led several analytical projects in cooperation with leading institutions worldwide. He has also worked in the defense industry and in the field of oversight of intelligence services.
Holds an MA in Law (University of Warsaw) and an MA in War Studies (King’s College London). He also completed a number of advanced courses and trainings, including at the UK Defence Academy, the US Naval Postgraduate School, and the National Defence University of Poland.
Team
Piotr Woyke
Director of the Institute
Sebastian Bojemski
Expert
Maciej Korowaj
Expert
Aleksandra Lisicka-Firlej
Expert
Grzegorz Matyasik
Expert
Krzysztof Michalski
Expert
Łukasz Paczesny
Expert