Working group Shrouded in secrecy Explaining why some countries refuse to disclose their military aid to Ukraine Add to calendar 2024-06-03 10:00 2024-06-03 11:30 Europe/Rome Shrouded in secrecy Refectory Badia Fiesolana YYYY-MM-DD Print Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Send by email When 03 June 2024 10:00 - 11:30 CEST Where Refectory Badia Fiesolana Organised by Department of Political and Social Sciences This session of the International Relations Working Group hosts Dr. Marius Ghincea (European University Institute) on why some states hide the amount of military aid provided to Ukraine while others do not. This research note examines the communication strategies employed by Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in disclosing or withholding information about their military aid to Ukraine following the Russian invasion. Using a comparative case study design, this research note analyzes the contrasting approaches of Romania and Poland. It explores three competing explanations for the secrecy or transparency surrounding military aid: domestic backlash avoidance, external security considerations, and bureaucratic culture. The findings reveal that electoral incentives drove both Romania’s secrecy and Poland’s transparency. This research note makes an empirical contribution to the understanding of foreign policy secrecy and the politics of military assistance in international relations, highlighting how political leaders may rely on secrecy to prevent the politicisation of military aid. Contact(s): Ediz Topcuoglu (European University Institute) Scientific Organiser(s): Prof Jeffrey T. Checkel (European University Institute) Speaker(s): Marius Ghincea (European University Institute)