“The eastern border of the European Union is not a peripheral space — it is a frontline of European security and responsibility,” said Marcin Kuchciński at the conference Cohesion Policy after 2027: A New Approach to Regional Development. The event brought together European, national and regional representatives to discuss the role of eastern border regions in building a stronger and more resilient Europe.
In their contributions, Marcin Kuchciński, President of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region and Sari Rautio, President of the EPP-CoR Group, underlined that the regions along the EU’s eastern frontier are facing extraordinary geopolitical, demographic and economic pressures following Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Marcin Kuchciński highlighted that “For many regions, the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine have meant the collapse of trade, tourism and cross-border cooperation, together with growing investment risk and depopulation. If Europe wants resilient border regions, it must respond with concrete action, tailored support and a cohesion policy that reflects today’s realities.”
Sari Rautio stressed that eastern border regions are ready to deliver for Europe, but they need the right tools to do so. “From Finland to the Black Sea, eastern regions are prepared to play their full role in strengthening Europe’s security, competitiveness and unity,” she said. “But readiness alone is not enough. We need real resources, flexible instruments and simpler rules. Europe cannot achieve its ambitions by leaving border regions behind — it needs all its regions to function and all its regions to succeed.”
Today’s discussion reinforced a common call from regional leaders: cohesion policy after 2027 must go beyond reducing disparities and must also strengthen Europe’s capacity to respond to new geopolitical realities. For eastern border regions, that means policies that help rebuild economic potential, support local communities, retain population and reinforce long-term stability.