An analysis of the dynamics of the geopolitical processes in the World Ocean shows clearly that only the possession of a strong navy will endow Russia with an appropriate position in the new multi-polar world of the 21st century. These are the conclusions of one of the latest Russian strategy papers, dealing with the fundamentals of the Federation’s security policy in maritime area until the year 2030, which was approved by President Putin by way of decree no. 327 of 20 July 2017. This commentary elaborates on the possibilities of its implementation by the Russian Navy and expected implications of such actions.

President Andrzej Duda decided to sign into law a bill establishing the Service for State Protection, a successor of the Government Protection Bureau. Thus, the Law and Justice party fulfilled one of its most important promises in the field of internal security – a deep reform of the protective security unit. Between May 2017, when the Ministry of Interior and Administration published a draft bill, October, when the government submitted that draft to the Sejm, and December, when the lower house of the Polish parliament voted it through, the bill did not undergo significant changes. Therefore, the adopted act fully reflects the intentions of the drafter. Despite the right to conduct preliminary investigation, the Service for State Protection in a legal sense is not considered an intelligence agency. The bill will come into force on February 1, 2018. The transitional period will expire at the end of April 2018.

This article presents a list of ten world events, or rather weaves of events, which in 2017 influenced the international relations to the greatest extent. The author argues that last year’s major events did not affect international security positively. Whereas it certainly was not the “worst year in history”, as 2016 was often labelled, the history will judge it harshly. Aforementioned significant events include: 1. The end of the refugee relocation scheme and the new initiatives of the European Union; 2. The possible beginning of the end of net neutrality; 3. Catalan independence referendum and the Spanish political crisis; 4. Turkish constitutional referendum and the crossroads of Ankara’s external activities; 5. Brussels NATO Summit and maintenance of Alliance’s course; 6. United Kingdom’s invocation of article 50 of the Treaty on European Union; 7. Results of the French presidential election and the German federal election; 8. Donald Trump sworn in as 45th president of the United States and Trump’s “new” foreign policy; 9. The fall of Raqqa and Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum as presages of the next phase of Middle Eastern conflicts; 10. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China – Xi Jinping heralds “new era” of Chinese power.

A well-informed French commercial portal Intelligence Online announced that France sought to enhance cooperation with the United States in the area of intelligence gathering and sharing. On the basis of the so-called SPINS agreements concluded by the French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his American counterpart Ashton Carter, the US and France are determined to improve their intelligence capabilities and increase the quality and scope of exchange of intercepted communications.

On 13 December 2017, the president of Poland Andrzej Duda paid official visit to Ukraine, where he met with his counterpart, the president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. The visit coincided with one of the most difficult moments in the Polish-Ukrainian relations. There have been many negative trends in bilateral realtions in recent months, therefore the meeting and talks between the presidents should be considered as a proof of mutual willingness to improve Polish-Ukrainian relations.