Prometheism, post-Russia, and the future of policy in Eurasia
One hundred years ago, Marshal Józef Piłsudski institutionalized a bold vision for Poland’s foreign policy in the face of Soviet imperialism and aggression. Today, when Russian revisionism evokes the geopolitical threats of the previous century, western academics and foreign policymakers should look to revive Piłsudski’s Promethean strategy to decolonize Russia once and for all.
June 22, 2026 -
Kacper Grass
- 
History and MemoryIssue 4 2026Magazine
The Józef Piłsudski monument in Warsaw. Piłsudski’s Prometheism was a geopolitical strategy aimed at isolating Russian and freeing the captive nations of Moscow.
Photo: Avi1111 (CC) commons.wikimedia.org
The year 2026 marks the centennial anniversary of the 1926 May Coup in Poland, when Marshal Józef Piłsudski returned to power in a political environment marked by partisan infighting and conflicting conceptions of the newly independent country’s identity and direction. The subsequent decade would be known as the “Sanatian” period in the interwar Second Polish Republic. Piłsudski proposed two clear visions for the future during this time. The first was that of “Intermarium”, or a federation of nations between the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic Seas that would stand as a bulwark against the expansive ambitions of the Soviet Union. The second was that of “Prometheism”, the strategy for achieving an Intermarium. Named after the mythological figure of Prometheus, who defied Zeus by stealing fire for the enlightenment of humankind, the policy aimed to undermine the Soviet Union by promoting national awakenings and secessionist movements throughout the former Russian Empire.
Of course, Piłsudski’s vision was itself undermined by Poland’s partition between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War, as well as its subsequent re-emergence as an Eastern Bloc satellite state. While it may seem that the Promethean project was destined to remain a historical hypothesis of a bygone era, Russia’s revisionist foreign policy today alarmingly recalls the geopolitical realities of the previous century and presents an opportunity for a Promethean revival in western academic and foreign policy circles.
This article is for members only
Join the New Eastern Europe community to unlock this article — plus enjoy full access to premium content, our digital archive, newsletter insights, and podcast updates.
BECOME A MEMBER!
Already a member? Sign in to read the full article.
Eastern Europe, Józef Piłsudski, Poland, Prometheism
