The budget deficit that arose due to non-payment of contributions by Russia became the main issue for discussions at the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in early April. Russia's contribution of 30 million euros each year, or 7% of the total budget of the PACE, is the amount through which, in Europe, not only did they reflect on the role and mission of the PACE and began to discuss the right to impose sanctions on the Russian Federation, but also were ready to abandon European values ​​and democratic freedoms. Russia's return to the PACE and the lifting of sanctions were lobbied by Germany and according to some information personally by Angela Merkel. 

The European Union has clearly defined security priorities according to which it aims to develop its cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries. However, the question remains whether these priorities are also vital for stability and security in the region, as well as  to what extent.

The Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI” took part in the chain of events organized by the New Strategy Center (Romania) on 12 September 2018 in Bucharest, including Roundtable “The Militarization of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine and the Consequences in the Black Sea Region” and the Security and Responsibility Training Program, as well as the meeting with the students of the Ovidius University on 13 September 2018 in Constanta.

Нещодавно  в Українському католицькому університеті  завершена  Сертифікатна програми з європейських студій,  присвячена питанням функціонування Європейського Союзу та вивченню двосторонніх  відносин між Україною та Європейським Союзом (epe.ucu.edu.ua).  Програма підтвердила значний  інтерес в суспільстві до Угоди про асоціацію між Україною та ЄС (АА).   Центр глобалістики “Стратегія XXI” долучився до програми, бо вважає АА фундаментальним документом, який визначає шляхи розвитку енергетичних ринків на багато  років.  Дуже важливо, щоб учасники освітньої програми ЕПЕ (етика, політика, економіка), а це журналісти, студенти, громадські активісти, представники органів державної влади мали грунтовні  знання Угоди про асоціацію, її можливості і інструменти.

On 30-31 May, 2018 the associate expert of the Centre for Global Studies Strategy XXI Igor Stukalenko participated in the Third Central European Energy Policy Forum "Challenges and opportunities of the EU-Ukrainian gas market integration. How can the neighbours contribute?" in Budapest. The forum was devoted to the issues of integration of the Ukrainian gas market to the EU, challenges and opportunities of this process, the possible contribution of the neighboring countries. The event was organized by the Hunragian Regional Centre for Energy Policy Research - REKK. 

On April 23, 2018 in Odesa, the President of the Center for Global Studies Strategy XXI Mykhailo Gonchar and the Head of security programs Pavlo Lakiychuk, experts of the project "Promoting building of Ukraine's capacities to guarantee citizens’ security in the conditions of hybrid threats", presented an analytical report "Hybrid threats to Ukraine and public security. The EU and Eastern Partnership experience" (prepared with the support of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation within the framework of the project "Civic Synergy"), as well as the analytical publication "Wars - XXI: Russia’s Polyhybression", prepared with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.

On 29 March, 2018 in Budapest the conference "Ukraine in the Global Energy Context and the Initiative of the Nordic Countries on Energy Efficiency and Humanitarian Aid" was organized jointly by the embassies of Ukraine and Norway in Hungary with the support of Representative Office of PJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine in Eastern Europe. The event was attended by Hungarian energy experts, CEOs of the Hungarian energy companies, journalists and representatives of NGOs, as well as by the diplomatic corps accredited in Hungary. 

In Budapest a conference "Energy in the Geopolitical Context: Ukrainian Dimension" was held in the framework of interbational platform "Friends of  Deoccupation of Crimea". 

On 28 March, 2018 on the premises of the State Self-Government of Ukrainians in Hungary, the third conference was held in the framework of the initiative of the President of Ukraine on the international platform "Friends of the De-occupation of Crimea", devoted to energy issues.