Aleksander Olech

Dr Aleksander Olech is an expert in international security, diplomacy and defence policy. He has many years of experience gained while working for state institutions, academic circles and international organisations. He served as Deputy Director of the Department of Africa and the Middle East at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He currently cooperates with numerous NATO centres and lectures at universities in Poland and abroad. As an analyst and publicist, he regularly comments on issues related to security, geopolitics and foreign policy.

Dr Olech specialises in the analysis of French-Russian relations, particularly in the context of geopolitical rivalry and security in Europe. He also deals with political and military challenges in Africa, with particular emphasis on the activities of Russia, France and NATO countries on the continent. The third key area of his research is NATO security policy, including the functioning of allied structures, threats on the eastern and southern flanks, and the development of member states' defence capabilities.

Dr Olech publishes most frequently in the area of NATO security policy, focusing on the functioning of allied structures and the defence capabilities of member states. In his analyses, he describes in detail the threats on the eastern and northern flanks, with particular emphasis on Russia's actions, military pressure, information warfare and growing challenges to regional stability. His texts often refer to NATO decision-making processes, defence planning and multinational cooperation, making him one of the most active commentators on these issues. The second key area of Dr Olech's publications is French foreign and defence policy, including Franco-Russian relations. The author analyses both the historical conditions of cooperation and rivalry, as well as Paris' current activities in the context of European politics and France's global ambitions. His texts address issues related to the arms industry, arms exports, French military operations in Africa and the role of France in shaping European security policy. The Baltic and Nordic countries also feature prominently in Dr Olech's publications. He regularly analyses hybrid threats, cyberattacks, energy pressure, and disinformation campaigns targeting countries in the region. He describes the defence capabilities of individual countries and their role within NATO and transatlantic cooperation. His analyses are widely cited in the context of strengthening security in Northern Europe. A significant part of Dr Olech's work also consists of studies devoted to Africa. The author describes the dynamics of conflicts on the continent, the growing presence of Russia and China, the involvement of European countries, and the global consequences of the destabilisation of regions such as the Sahel. His texts often address the topics of terrorism, radicalisation, migration, and challenges for international military missions. His publications also regularly feature topics related to military cooperation, the development of military technologies, disinformation and hybrid threats. Dr Olech combines an analytical perspective with practical experience gained while working for state institutions, academic circles and international organisations, which means that his materials cover the full spectrum of issues related to international security.

The author collaborates with numerous universities and think tanks around the world and also carries out tasks for both the European Union and NATO. His main projects have focused on: terrorist radicalisation in Europe; Polish-French cooperation; threats from the Russian Federation on NATO's eastern and northern flanks; terrorist threats to critical infrastructure; Chinese and Russian disinformation in the Nordic and Baltic countries; hybrid attacks on Poland, the development of NATO countries' cyber capabilities, and the use of Russian mercenaries on a global scale. Dr Aleksander Olech is involved in research projects on international security in the broad sense, focusing on challenges for NATO countries, with particular emphasis on Russian activity in the Baltic states and Africa, where the interests of Western countries and the Kremlin clash. The author collaborates with research units from around the world, where it is crucial to build a narrative about the situation in Central and Eastern Europe and to highlight common challenges to global security.

Dr Aleksander Olech is regularly invited to lecture at domestic and foreign universities. He also speaks at conferences and seminars, both scientific and geopolitical. At the same time, he cooperates with government and private institutions in the context of conducting training courses and webinars. Dr Olech is involved in education in the field of international security, defence concepts and challenges facing NATO, including issues related to the situation on the eastern and southern flanks of the Alliance, Russian-French rivalry -French rivalry in the world, Russian hybrid attacks on Poland, threats to critical infrastructure, security in Africa, terrorism, radicalisation processes and disinformation.