Hybrid warfare or humanitarian crisis? Politics, law, and humanity on the EU–Belarus border

• Max Weber Programme for Postdoctoral Studies
• Eastern Europe as Laboratory of Change Working Group

Organised by the Eastern Europe as Laboratory of Change Working Group, this event features a discussion on humanitarian crisis.

The humanitarian crisis related to migration across the EU's external border with Belarus has become an unprecedented challenge. By all accounts, since 2021 this migration route has been actively facilitated by the Belarusian authorities, leading it to be described as a case of instrumentalisation of migrants, or even as an act of hybrid warfare waged against the EU. In response, all three directly affected EU Member States, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have built walls and fences, engaged in violent pushback practices, and effectively suspended the right to asylum. The humanitarian, environmental, legal, and political consequences have been far-reaching.

In this panel organised by the Eastern Europe as Laboratory of Change Working Group, the EUI-based researchers who have been involved both in researching this crisis from various perspectives and in responding to it on the ground, will present their research findings on the matter. The panel will delve into various aspects of the crisis and its broader consequences: from its humanitarian toll, through environmental consequences, to the EU-wide political and legal impact. The event will consist of 12-minute presentations by each speaker, followed by an open discussion with the audience.