Migration patterns are currently changing and reshaping the societies in the region in profound ways. War and confict, economic crisis, political repression, and other changes can drive both forced and voluntary migration, leading to long-lasting and signifcant impacts on countries of origin. Migration also reshapes the socio-demographic structure of destination countries. The arrival of impoverished and traumatized migrants, alongside economically powerful and highly educated newcomers, impacts local economies and labor markets. These dynamics infuence the reception of newcomers, who may be viewed as sources of information, sources of high-skilled knowledge, potential political allies against authoritarian regimes, or as domestic security risks. Diaspora groups and new communities emerge, infuencing both their new societies and their countries of origin. Thus, movement and mobility inevitably create new encounters, leading to responses ranging from hospitality to hostility. The most recent wave of emigration is profoundly reconfguring the migration landscape across Eastern European countries.

The CBEES State of the Region Report 2025 aims to analyze the ongoing movement of people by mapping out demographic experiences, patterns, and power relations on grassroots as well as macro level. The purpose is to give a contemporary overview of the diversity of challenges the region and the countries are facing, and to present a preliminary analysis of the implications for the region.The report is the ffth in a series of annual reports from CBEES (Centre for Baltic and East European Studies), reporting and refecting on the social and political developments in the Baltic Sea Region and Central and Eastern Europe, taking a new and topical perspective in each issue. The overall purpose of this initiative is to ofer a publication that will be of great interest to fellow researchers, policy makers, stakeholders, and the general public.