The head of Polish diplomacy spoke during the opening breakfast and attended, along with UK’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron, the discussion panel “Filling Europe’s Defense Production Gap.” Other side events attended by Minister Sikorski, such as the “Reagan–Thatcher Dinner” and “John McCain Dinner”, were also an opportunity to discuss global security issues.  Minister Sikorski joined the latter upon invitation from the Conference Chairman Christoph Heusgen.

On the sidelines of the first day of the Munich Security Conference, Minister Sikorski exchanged views with a group of US senators led by Senator James E. Risch and talked with UK’s shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

During the discussion “Flank-Tastic? Mapping NATO’s Eastern Deterrence and Defence”, Minister Sikorski noted the challenges faced by the North Atlantic Alliance including, among others, Ukraine’s progress towards NATO membership and increasing defence spendings. Discussed during a conversation with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, also attended by the Head of the Polish National Security Bureau Jacek Siewiera, were Polish-Chinese relations, prospects for ending the war in Ukraine, and the planned visit of President Andrzej Duda to the People’s Republic of China. Later, Minister Sikorski held an in-depth discussion with India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the conflict in Ukraine and prominent items on the bilateral agenda.

Talking to Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Margrethe Vestager, Minister Sikorski discussed Poland’s support for belligerent Ukraine and the prospects for European defence cooperation.

Poland’s top diplomat also took the floor in Munich at the panel discussion “Adding Chairs to the Table: A Deeper, Wider, and More Capable EU?”, attended by Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna. Minister Sikorski emphasised that the problem of Ukrainian grain and Ukrainian hauliers must be solved so that it does not cloud the overall picture of Polish solidarity with Kyiv. “Poland is one of the foremost supporters of Ukraine, but the farmers and the truckers are the two groups that are paying ‘the most immediate price’ for pan-European solidarity,” the minister concluded. In a face-to-face meeting with the Ukrainian politician, Minister Sikorski also discussed bilateral issues, the needs of the Ukrainian army, and Ukraine’s expectations in regard to the upcoming NATO summit in Washington.  

The head of the Polish MFA also met with his counterparts from Liechtenstein, Dominique Hasler, and from Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan. The meeting with Minister Hasler focused on good cooperation between Poland and Liechtenstein in the EEA, in the Schengen area, and on multilateral fora. Talking to the Armenian politician, Minister Sikorski highlighted good relations between the two countries, Poland’s support for a peaceful resolution to Armenia’s conflict with Azerbaijan, and possibilities for enhanced cooperation between Armenia and the EU.  

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Organised since 1963, the Munich Security Conference has been a primary forum to discuss international security issues bringing together heads of states and governments, foreign and defence ministers, MPs, and representatives of the media and the academia. Since 2022, the Conference has been chaired by former diplomat Christoph Heusgen.

 

Visit the following links for more photos of day one, day two, and day three.

 

Photos: Sebastian Indra/MFA