RUSSIAN PERCEPTION OF THE THREE SEAS INITIATIVE AND POLISH PARTICIPATION IN IT

In the article the perception of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) in Russian academic, expert and media communities is analyzed. It is revealed that an unambiguously critical approach to the regional format of cooperation prevails. Attention among Russian experts is focused on the hostile orientation of the geopolitical project and its American patronage. Russian historians, political scientists and foreign affairs experts are convinced that «Trimarium» is a direct reference to the longstanding imperial ambitions of Poland. Of particular interest is the dynamics of perception of various components of the 3SI identified by the author. While energy projects within the framework of the «Trimarium» were immediately interpreted as a Polish-American tool to displace Russia from the European energy market, the military-political consequences of the implementation of transportation projects were not subjected to serious reflection and criticism until the escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis in 2022. The systemic analysis allowed to follow the evolution of Russian approaches to the 3SI and Polish activity within the framework of the association – from initial skepticism to the recognition of the potential impact on regional security in Central and South-Eastern Europe.