In Dubrovnik, Polish President Karol Nawrocki took part in a joint press conference with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Slovak President Peter Pellegrini after a meeting of the Three Seas Initiative, established in 2015 to accelerate infrastructure development, energy security, and digital connectivity among 13 European Union nations bordering the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic Seas.
“For me, this is a special event, because for the first time as the president of Poland, I am taking part in the Three Seas Initiative – in the place where it began,” he told press, as quoted by wPolityce.
Calling the initiative “a foundation for Europe’s competitiveness and a driving force for transatlantic cooperation,” Nawrocki announced that “it’s time to start discussing the creation of infrastructure financing mechanisms around the Three Seas Development Bank. We’ve been discussing this, and I think it’s ahead of us. This is the step the Three Seas Initiative is looking forward to.”
He also emphasized Poland’s leading role in helping the region wean itself from Russian energy, calling it a “gateway for American gas,” specifically referencing Polish terminals such as Świnoujście and another planned floating terminal on the Baltic Sea.
“Poland is ready to become the Northern Gate and a pillar of the region’s energy security. The Three Seas States have proven that together we can build independence and effectively free ourselves from dependence on Russian raw materials. This is the path to a strong and sovereign Europe,” Nawrocki posted on X.
Polska jest gotowa, by stać się Bramą Północy i filarem bezpieczeństwa energetycznego regionu. Państwa Trójmorza udowodniły, że wspólnie można budować niezależność i skutecznie uniezależniać się od rosyjskich surowców. To droga ku silnej i suwerennej Europie. 🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/pDwUCV7T9M
— #Nawrocki2025 (@Nawrocki25) April 29, 2026Croatia’s former president, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, was on hand as well to tout further potential for a north-south axis to additionally help cut reliance on Moscow.
Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina announced their support for the Southern Interconnection gas pipeline, which will connect Bosnia to Croatia’s gas network and the Krk island LNG terminal. The project enjoys strong backing from the U.S., writes TVP World.
Central Europe, noted Grabar-Kitarović, should become “a consolidated, self-confident, ambitious region,” not a region at the mercy of larger powers.
As for the Slovak president, Pelligrini posted a pro-business update, emphasizing the region’s potential on the back of the Business Forum hosted by his country. “The Three Seas region has enormous potential, and the Business Forum helps turn that potential into action,” he wrote on X, listing five priorities for “shared prosperity.”
The Business Forum is the beating heart of the #3SI — where business meets business, capital meets governments, and partnerships turn into growth for our region.
Looking ahead, I see five priorities for strengthening our shared prosperity:
👉 Better connected — so goods,… pic.twitter.com/2PTdgX5CGj
— Peter Pellegrini (@PellegriniP_) April 29, 2026
