Analysis
EU Values Foresight
Security
Building Civic Resilience: Challenges and Solutions in Central Europe
12 December 2024
9 August 2024
Ukraine’s integration into the EU’s logistical networks is poised to transform it into a crucial transport hub, strengthening connectivity and trade across Europe through key infrastructure projects and strategic investments.
Lviv’s historical role as a logistical hub dates back several centuries. In the late mediaeval period, trade routes connecting the Black Sea with the Baltic Sea were crucial, facilitating the exchange of goods such as salt, furs and textiles. The city’s strategic location made it a centre for trade between Western Europe, the Byzantine Empire and the Near East. By the 16th century, Lviv was handling approximately 25% of Poland’s international trade.
Under the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 19th century, Lviv’s importance grew with the establishment of key railway connections.