Minister Zbigniew Rau thanked for the support Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have received from European partners in response to Belarusian activities at the EU’s eastern border. He stressed that the hybrid attack orchestrated by Belarus is unprecedented and that the risk of escalating the conflict is very real. The chief of the Polish MFA emphasised the need to enhance the EU’s and its member states’ dialogue with the countries of origin and transit from North Africa and the Middle East in order to put a stop to the influx of migrants to Belarus. He also recalled the situation in Belarus itself, where currently over 800 political prisoners, including Andżelika Borys and Andrzej Poczobut, are held in detention. As a result of the discussion, the ministers agreed that it is necessary to adopt a fifth round of sanctions against Belarus as soon as possible.

As regards the situation in the Western Balkans, the head of Polish diplomacy underscored that to build its global position, the EU must be capable of exerting a positive impact on its immediate neighbourhood. He voiced his support for a stronger involvement in political dialogue and for inclusion of the countries of the region in EU programmes and policies aimed to bring their citizens tangible benefits. Minister Rau called for reviving accession talks with Serbia and Montenegro, and unblocking the start of negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia.

Speaking about the situation in the Sahel, he drew attention to the need to continue the EU’s support for the countries of the region, while stressing their own responsibility for the fight with terrorism. The minister expressed concern over the potential presence of the Wagner Group in Mali, whose engagement in other parts of Africa and the Middle East has led to the deterioration of security situation, and voiced support for the EU’s efforts to prevent the group’s activities.

While discussing the Strategic Compass, the top Polish diplomat called for full transparency and taking into account member states’ voices in work on the document. Minister Rau stated that Poland finds the Common Security and Defence Policy goals set forth in the draft document to be adequate. However, he pointed out that the EU must take into account member states’ other obligations in order to avoid problems with the fulfilment of the ambitious goals. The minister stressed the importance of reinforcing the EU partnerships, in particular with NATO. He welcomed the inclusion of threats arising from the disinformation campaigns targeting the EU, and the declaration to continue work on the mechanisms to counter hybrid attacks.

The meeting of foreign ministers from EU member states and the Eastern Partnership countries offered an opportunity to discuss the most topical aspects of the cooperation between the European Union and countries of the region ahead of the next EaP summit, scheduled for 15 December. In the debate, the ministers highlighted the significance of the EU’s help in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and combating the social and economic effects of the crisis.

Minister Rau noted that it is in Poland’s interest to arrive at the closest possible integration between the EaP countries and the EU. He expressed an expectation for the December summit to see the European Union’s strong political message about actions designated to bring the EaP countries closer to the EU. “We should support the more engaged partner countries in their European aspirations and pursuit to gradually align with the EU’s common market while putting an emphasis on the unity of the Eastern Partnership. Poland has welcomed the initiative to enhance cooperation between Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine,” said Minister Rau.

The head of Polish diplomacy stressed the role of sectoral cooperation, which would bring about tangible results for the citizens, and support for the youth. He also found it important to enhance the partners’ resilience to external and internal threats in the face of the events under way in the region. “It will be crucial in the coming years to strengthen the security dimension of the Eastern Partnership,” highlighted the minister.

Referring to the decision by the Belarusian authorities to suspend the country’s participation in the Eastern Partnership, Poland’s foreign minister stressed that it is necessary to maintain contacts and continue cooperation with Belarusian society.

 

Łukasz Jasina

MFA Spokesperson

 

Photo: Tymon Markowski / MFA