Neutrality Studies Eastern Europe Is Planning A Future Beyond The EU & NATO | Prof. Ivo Yotsov
Feb 2, 2026
Prof. Ivo Yotsov, a former Bulgarian Navy captain and naval academy professor with a PhD in International Economics, offers a Black Sea view on power and regional strategy. He critiques standard IR theories and argues realism must factor in culture, history, private military firms and virtual domains. He outlines Eastern Europe's cultural ties with Russia and proposes deeper regional integration as a buffer and alternative to sole reliance on EU/NATO structures.
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Realism Needs A Broader Lens
- Ivo Yotsov argues classical liberalism and traditional realism fail to explain modern conflicts and actors.
- He proposes widening realism to include history, civilization, and non-state actors for richer explanations.
Civilizational Memory Shapes Policy
- Yotsov stresses internal culture and civilization shape state behavior beyond material counts.
- He says historical ties explain why Russia considers Ukraine part of its civilizational space.
Bulgaria's Living Ties With Russia
- Yotsov describes deep Bulgarian cultural and linguistic ties with Russia tracing to Cyrillic origins and shared history.
- He says those ties produce strong domestic Russophile and Russophobe currents in Bulgaria.
