International Information, Diplomacy and Cross-Border Cooperation Between Ukraine and Poland in the Context of Geopolitical Transformations

Abstract

This article aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between international information policy, diplomatic mechanisms, and cross-border cooperation between Ukraine and Poland within the context of the geopolitical transformations.

The study is grounded in systemic, comparative, and institutional methods of analysis. In order to examine the dynamics of cross-border interaction, statistical data from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the Polish Border Guard Headquarters were subjected to quantitative analysis.

It has been established that the effective implementation of an international information strategy is a critically important prerequisite for shaping a positive image of bilateral relations at both the regional and global levels. The study demonstrates that the Interreg NEXT Poland-Ukraine 2021-2027 programme has become the leading institutional mechanism for cross-border cooperation, integrating digital, security, and cultural dimensions of interaction. The research reveals that russia’s full-scale invasion of 2022 fundamentally transformed the border space from a domain of conventional cross-border interaction into a strategic security corridor, while simultaneously intensifying the asymmetry of information flows between the two countries. The article further shows that the volume of border crossings, which collapsed to 2.1 million persons in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, recovered strongly to reach 9.4 million in 2022 and peaked at 12.1 million in 2023, driven by the unprecedented refugee and humanitarian flows. Polish public diplomacy tools – including cultural institutes, digital platforms, and official government communications – were found to play a decisive role in shaping the perception of Ukraine among EU audiences and in countering russian disinformation narratives. The absence of a unified joint Polish-Ukrainian information strategy, however, has been identified as a significant institutional gap, particularly in the context of managing competing national narratives around agricultural trade restrictions and historical disputes. The analysis of Interreg projects reveals a notable shift towards digitalization, cyber-security, and e-government integration, reflecting the evolving priorities of cross-border cooperation under wartime conditions.

The article substantiates the necessity of establishing a joint Polish-Ukrainian mechanism for the coordination of information diplomacy and border security as part of Ukraine’s preparations for European Union accession. The findings contribute to the broader scholarly debate on the role of cross-border information flows and public diplomacy in the process of EU enlargement.