Written by: Mikołaj Woźniak, Konrad Falkowski Graphics: Natalia Matiaszczyk
The day of 13 December 2023 was the day on which a fresh government was created in Poland under the direction of Donald Tusk. Minister for abroad Affairs took over Radosław Sikorski – erstwhile Minister of National Defence from 2005 to 2007, then Minister of abroad Affairs from 2007 to 2014, as well as Marshal of the Sejm for a year (2014-2015). The head of Polish diplomacy took on a fresh function in a hard period – a period in which Ukraine is increasingly resisting Russian attacks, and Europe is increasingly experiencing an expanding threat coming from the Kremlin. Therefore, the examination of the visits, meetings and talks conducted by Sikorski with abroad partners seems to be a worthy and appropriate undertaking to show the priorities of Polish abroad policy and its dynamics.
In order to clarify the subject, 3 maps were prepared, which represent the following issues: abroad visits by the Minister Radosław Sikorski, visits by representatives of the states and global organisations in Warsaw and telephone and video talks by the Minister Radosław Sikorski. The results and conclusions of the survey by the squad of the Institute of fresh Europe will be presented in this order.
Foreign visits by Minister Radosław Sikorski
During the period from 13 December 2023 to 23 April 2024 Radosław Sikorski made 18 visits outside Poland, where he met and discussed with representatives of Polish abroad partners, as well as attending meetings of global organisations, especially the European Union, and gave his speeches.
Sikorski chose for his first authoritative visit Kiev. It took place on December 22, 2023. This choice was not accidental, due to the fact that it was an expression of the solidarity of Poland and its fresh government with Ukraine in the war with Russia, which was peculiarly important, as well as symbolic, erstwhile the issue of strained relations was raised at an earlier time caused by the dispute around Ukrainian grain. During this visit, the Polish abroad Minister met with the political elite of the fighting Ukraine. First of all, he spoke to president Volodymir Zelenski and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytre Kuleba. In addition, he had the chance to meet Ukraine's national defence minister Rust Udenov and head of the National safety and Defence Council of Ukraine Alexij Danilov. During the talks, the Polish typical expressed his support for Ukraine and presented fresh proposals for bilateral cooperation.
Another very crucial abroad visit by Radosław Sikorski was his journey to the United States from 23 to 26 February 2024. Sikorski started it comparatively loudly due to his speeches during the UN safety Council. It dealt with the question of war in Ukraine and the words spoken by the Russian ambassador to the UN. The head of Polish diplomacy in Washington, D.C., first met with the erstwhile U.S. Secretary of defence James Mattisand then with the current Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. During the conversation with Blinken, the issue of Poland's cooperation with the US in the field of military and sanctions towards Russia was raised. In the meantime, Sikorski’s lecture took place on the American think tank Atlantic Council under the title "Three steps to Victory".
It is besides worth noting that in addition to participating in the European Union or the North Atlantic Alliance, Radosław Sikorski besides participated in meetings within 2 more local formats, specified as the Weimar Triangle and the Visegrad Group. On 12 February 2024 the head of Polish diplomacy met in Paris with its counterparts from France – Stéphan Séjourné – and Germany – Annalena Baerbock The subject of the talks was about strengthening cooperation between the Weimar Triangle countries. As regards Visegrad GroupOn 21 March 2024, Sikorski met with the ministers of abroad affairs of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The subject of the talks then held was to make directions for multifaceted support of Ukraine.
Visits of representatives of countries and global organisations in Warsaw
In addition to abroad travel, Minister Władysław Sikorski hosted meetings and conferences with representatives of various countries and global organizations in Warsaw. First A visit, on 21 December 2023, was made to him by the Delegation of the European Parliament for Belarus, with which he discussed issues relating to maintaining the issue of Belarus internationally. It stressed the request to support representatives of the Belarusian democratic groups in emigration and members of Belarusian civilian society. There was besides a discussion on expanding activity for the release of Belarusian and Polish political prisoners (including Andrzej Poczomut, a Polish political prisoner in Belarus) and supporting their families to prevent the improvement of influences of the Russian Federation in Belarus.
Shortly thereafter, on 8 January 2024, in connection with the above meeting, she paid a visit to Sikorski leader Belarusian opposition to democratic Swiatlan Cichanosek. This conversation sustained Poland's position on the Belarusian issue and pointed to Polish opposition to Minsk's policy, manifested, among others, in the forgery of the August 2020 presidential election.
W The talks with Sikorski were besides held by representatives of various political structures of North American countries. From the USA and Canada arrived: United States peculiar typical for economical Reconstruction of Ukraine Penny Pritzker, Senator Delaware Christopher Coons, South Dakota Senator Michael Rounds and abroad Minister Canada Mélanie Joly. These visits focused mainly on safety issues in relation to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and transatlantic cooperation.
In Warsaw, Sikorski besides hosted representatives of global organisations specified as the EU, the UN or the OSCE. He besides held a gathering with the European Commission’s typical for abroad and Security, Josep Borrellwith which he addressed the subject of comprehensive and long-term political, financial and military support for Kiev, as well as the accession negotiations process. Moreover, Sikorski had an exchange with respective diplomats from the countries of Europe, including the MFA France Mr Stéphan Séjourné and the Secretary of State for abroad Affairs and the Commonwealth of the United Kingdom of large Britain and Northern Ireland David Cameron. In addition to the delegation from European countries, he besides hosted the Ministry of abroad Affairs Japan Yōko Kamikawa and Deputy Prime Minister and Head of fresh Zealand diplomacy Winston Peters.
Foreign Minister Władysław Sikorski hosted meetings and talks with 21 representatives of individual states and global organizations. Most of them dealt primarily with safety issues in connection with the ongoing war in Ukraine. Diplomats from European countries came to Poland (France, Denmark, Malta, Portugal, Estonia, Lithuania, United Kingdom, Andorra) and another continents (USA, Canada, New Zealand, Japan) and representatives of global organisations (UN, EU, OSCE).
Phone calls and video conferences of Minister Radosław Sikorski
From the time of swearing in, i.e. on 13 December 2023, until 23 April this year, abroad Minister Radosław Sikorski participated in almost 40 telephone and video talks with representatives of another states. By 21 December last year, Sikorski was congratulated for taking the fresh position. Congratulations included representatives United States, Ukraine, Germany, United Kingdom, France is Sweden. During these calls, the issues of current bilateral and multilateral relations were besides addressed, especially by addressing the safety issues of Europe, the war in Ukraine and the mediate East. The same was actual for another telephone conversations, but among them it is worth to separate between the talks of the head of Polish diplomacy and the Minister of abroad Affairs of Chad Mahmat Salah Annafid, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Israeli Head of the Ministry of abroad Affairs Israel Katz.
As for the interview with the Chadian minister of February 14, 2024, Sikorski submitted thanks His interviewer for helping to release the kidnapped Polish doctor and gave his appreciation to the members of the formations active in the search for Polish women. Working in Chad as a volunteer Polish doctor was abducted by armed assailants. The incidental occurred on 9 February this year – it was kidnapped from Saint-Michel infirmary in Dono Manga (south part of the country), more than 400 km from Chad's capital – Njamena. Chadian and French forces were active in the search, and Chad's safety minister Mahamat Charfadine Margui supervised the full action. On the margins of this discussion, a synthetic review of Polish-Cchadian relations was besides carried out. Sikorski besides added that Poland sees a "stable and reliable partner" in Chad in the hard Sahel region.
Another issue worth discussing was conversation Sikorski with Stoltenberg immediately after a Russian manoeuvring rocket was flying over Poland for little than 40 seconds, the mark of which was the village in western Ukraine. This dangerous situation occurred – according to transmission Operational Command of Types of Armed Forces – March 24th this year, more specifically at 4.23, at the tallness of Oserdów in Lublin Voivodeship. Radosław Sikorski during his interview with Jens Stoltenberg stressed that this was not the first specified incidental erstwhile Russia's military activity in Ukraine poses a direct threat to the North Atlantic Alliance associate States. The issue of the safety of the Polish and allied airspace and how to implement its reinforcement within the Alliance was besides raised.
On April 2, 2024, news reached the public that an Israeli rocket destroyed the planet Central Kitchen humanitarian aid convoy. Among 7 volunteers killed He died. besides Polish citizen Damian Soból. About this tragedy, the head of the Polish Ministry of abroad Affairs conducted telephone call with his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz. Sikorski noted that Poland is shocked by the full event. He called for an impartial investigation. Moreover, he stated that the investigation into the death of Poles is conducted by the Polish prosecution, and the accident deserves to be considered in the criminal category. These words were to be answered by Katz that Israel's investigation would "be independent." At the same time, he expressed his condolences to the Polish government, the nation and especially to the household of volunteers from Poland. He besides stressed that Israel is committed to the safety of the civilian population, and the Israeli government's aim is to destruct Hamas, who is threatening that security.
Conclusion
Analyzing the steps and diplomatic movements of abroad visits, meetings in Warsaw and telephone and video conferences taken by the Polish Minister of abroad Affairs Radosław Sikorski, it can be concluded that the directions chosen by the fresh head of Polish diplomacy are characterised primarily by strong pro-Europeanism based on the pillars of the European Union and smaller formats specified as the Visegrad Group and the Weimar Triangle, pro-Americanism, which in turn is based on a deep attachment to the American ally, but besides the full structure of the North Atlantic Alliance. Moreover, there is simply a clear strong commitment to aid Ukraine in diplomatic forums (e.g. UN). It is worth noting here that the issue of Belarus is besides not unnoticed by Polish diplomacy, as is evidenced by the support and designation of the Belarusian opposition to Lukashenko. On the another hand, Sikorski does not neglect to watch over the interests of the Polish state and the safety of Polish citizens, specified as the kidnapping of the Polish doctor in Chad, the death of a Polish volunteer in the Gaza Strip, or the Polish number in Belarus political prisoner Andrzej Poczobut, From these conclusions it can be expected that this direction will proceed to be maintained and developed during the period of government not only by Sikorski in the Ministry of abroad Affairs, but besides by Donald Tusk in Poland. Further support for Ukraine and deepening ties with both the European Union and NATO are expected. It seems appropriate to recognise these issues as 3 precedence objectives of Polish abroad policy at the present time.
