Przegląd Zachodniopomorski


ISSN: 0552-4245     eISSN: 2353-3021    OAI    DOI: 10.18276/pz.2025.40-10
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Issue archive / t. 40 (69) 2025
Geopolityczne znaczenie Morza Bałtyckiego przed i po rosyjskiej inwazji na Ukrainę w 2022 roku

Authors: Mikołaj Lisewski ORCID
Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu
Keywords: geopolitics Baltic Sea NATO-lake Russian invasion of Ukraine
Whole issue publication date:2025
Page range:26 (261-286)
Cited-by (Crossref) ?:

Abstract

How often has the Baltic Sea throughout history functioned as a closed sea under the control of a dominant power, and how often as an open maritime space accessible to all? This article addresses this fundamental question by examining the geopolitical evolution of the Baltic Sea before and after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Using qualitative, comparative methods and a long-term historical perspective, the study employs the legal-political dichotomy of mare clausum and mare liberum (Selden, 1635; Grotius, 1609) as an analytical framework. Contrary to claims that the Baltic's transformation into a “NATO lake” following Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO represents a novel development, this article argues that it is a reversion to the more frequently occurring historical pattern. Among the 9 identified geopolitical phases since the early modern era, the Baltic Sea has operated as a mare clausum in 6 of them. The region’s current militarization, NATO’s expanded presence, and Russia’s declining influence confirm this continuity. The article contributes to geopolitical scholarships, highlighting not only maritime dynamics, but also the relevance of applying theoretical types as analytical framework components that facilitate the exploration and explanation of geopolitical phenomena.
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