The article includes a research of the main trends and their components of the change in the European security environment; it considers political steps of the main international actors within the sphere of the regional security architecture. The author describes the possibilities of enhancing regional cooperation, an implementation of multilateral initiatives in the context of modern security challenges. The report reviews the effect of these changes on the defence policy of Ukraine, suggests and substantiates appropriate recommendations for Ukrainian public authorities on the need of a more active involvement in the formation of a new sub-regional security system