Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 caused a security crisis threatening Ukraine’s very existence. This security crisis caused severe security issues in Ukraine’s surrounding region, Central Eastern Europe, and challenged Europe’s security architecture. Additionally, Central Eastern European States have experienced energy security issues due to their heavy reliance on Russian oil and natural gas. Central Eastern European states are showing their caution and devising countermeasures according to their practical interests. However, each state has their different historical contexts and practical interests depending on their individual establishments of relationships with Russia. This study particularly investigates the political, economic and policy implications of these Central Eastern European states amid the escalation of this geopolitical crisis and the conundrums caused by energy security issues in the Central Eastern European States.

The overall structure of this study is as follows. First, the backdrop upon which the study was conducted and its significance were presented. Second, the theoretical framework of the study was established by reviewing previous empirical studies. Third, the context of the Russia-Ukraine war was provided by tracking the development of bilateral relations and eventually examining the leading causes of this war. Fourth, the regional responses were investigated by examining developments in Central Eastern Europe (Visegrad Four, Romania and Bulgaria), Western Europe and the EU. In this process, this study thoroughly analyzed and compared how these states have responded to possible crises like security and energy issues. Finally, the conclusion of this study summarizes the main points and, additionally, draws geo-economic and geo-political implications and future prospects for Korea.