“For the past 20 years, Poland has been a reliable NATO member, committed to making it stronger,” added the head of the Polish MFA.

The meeting was convened to mark the 70th anniversary of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty. Its agenda included a discussion on NATO-Russia relations, the Alliance’s engagement in fighting terrorism and balanced burden sharing.

During the North Atlantic Council’s working session on NATO-Russia relations, Minister Jacek Czaputowicz mentioned the need to uphold the principles adopted at the Warsaw NATO summit: credible deterrence and enhancing defence capabilities while at the same time being open to political dialogue with Russia. “Allied unity and solidarity are the basis for an effective response to current challenges and threats,” underscored the chief of Polish diplomacy. He went on to note that NATO has to support partner countries, including Georgia and Ukraine, because their stronger resilience against threats also enhances our security.

During a session on NATO’s engagement in fighting terrorism and other current security issues, Minister Czaputowicz stressed Poland’s engagement in NATO operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as part of the Global Coalition against ISIS. Pointing out Poland’s solidarity in  projecting stability beyond the Alliance’s borders, the minister said that NATO has much to offer its partners.

Another session was dedicated to transatlantic relations and financial burden sharing in running NATO. The chief of Polish diplomacy stressed that Poland advocates strong transatlantic ties which are a key element of NATO’s ability to ensure security to its members and to stabilise its neighbourhood. “Poland will continue to meet its commitments undertaken in this respect during NATO summits in Wales and in Warsaw,” the minister declared. 

Together with the foreign ministers of Hungary Péter Szijjártó and of the Czech Republic Tomáš Petříček, the head of Polish MFA Jacek Czaputowicz also took part in a panel discussion: “Twenty Years Later: Lessons from NATO’s enlargement and the Alliance’s future.” Its participants drew attention, among others, to the need to increase defence spending by NATO members. Minister Jacek Czaputowicz observed that the Alliance’s 1999 enlargement was part of the programme of anti-communist democratic opposition in Poland and other Central European countries. “For us, the key is to ensure transatlantic unity,” declared the chief of Polish diplomacy. “US military presence in Europe is important for our stability, specifically as a deterrent against Russian actions. The minister stressed that transatlantic unity yields mutual benefits: it is a value both for Europe and the United States.

On the sidelines of the NATO ministerial, the chief of Polish diplomacy took part in a meeting of the Visegrad Group foreign ministers with Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan. Their talks focused on security issues, including energy security, as well as challenges coming from Russia and China. They also discussed cooperation possibilities between the Visegrad Group and the United States in supporting the reform process in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership countries.

The chief of Polish diplomacy also talked to Foreign Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Nikola Dimitrov about next week’s meeting of foreign ministers of the Berlin Process in Warsaw.

 

MFA Press Office

 

Photo: Tymon Markowski / MFA

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