This literature review study investigates the digital transformation of the financial ecosystem in Serbia and Ukraine in the context of their integration pathway to the European Union. The methods employed in the research include literature analysis, systematic synthesis, thematic analysis, and a comparative case study approach. The study begins within a comprehensive theoretical analysis of the financial ecosystem and its components. Then there is an analysis of the digital transformation occurring in Ukraine’s financial ecosystem, while concurrently discussing and analysing the digital transformation of Serbia’s financial ecosystem. The analysis is followed by the comparative approach to shared opportunities and common challenges encountered by both countries in their digital transformation journey, showing the complexities of European integration for developing countries, and highlighting the long-term sustainable role of digitalising financial ecosystems. The study aims to pinpoint specific strategies, successes and obstacles encountered during this transformative process, offering insights into policy development and future integration efforts.
The Nordic Baltic region (5+3) is now closely interlinked via trade, investment, mobility of people, and banking. All the countries in this group have pursued some form of integration with the European Union (EU). Six of them are EU member states, four of them are members of the euro area, and all of them are within the European Economic Area (EEA) and are Schengen member states. But can these small countries as a group cooperate more closely and perhaps exercise more collective authority in Europe? The Nordic countries and the Baltic States cooperate in the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Bank and the IMF, and six of them are among European NATO member states. When it comes to European integration the lack of common approach complicates their cooperation. Within this group there are internal divisions between the hardcore EU and euro area member states (the Baltics and Finland), EU members (Denmark and Sweden) and EU outsiders (Iceland and Norway). Common pathways for the future cooperation in Europe may be hard to find. Also, the Nordics are high income welfare states, but the Baltics are neoliberal with minimal governments and low-tax regimes. Additionally, external forces continue to challenge the Nordic Baltic region, including revanchist Russian policies threatening Baltic Sovereignty, unpredictable US policies towards NATO as well as reduced military presence in Europe, and dismal EU and euro area post crisis economic performance. All point to a future of uncertainty including both economic and security risks.