Polish Take on Realism: Poland’s Policy Towards the Former Soviet Countries, 1991–2021

A Szeptycki

doi:10.46272/2587-8476-2021-12-1-132-145

Abstract

This article analyzes Poland’s policy towards the former Soviet space (Poland’s Eastern policy) through the assumptions of the realist theory of international relations. The ﬁ rst part of the article examines the realist theory in international relations (IR). The second – deals with the existing literature on Poland’s foreign policy. The third part analyses the determinants and the goals of Poland’s policy towards the post-Soviet states (history of its relations with the region, ideological determinants, security concerns, etc.). The last part inquires about the evolution of Poland’s policy till current times. The Russian Federation is perceived as a signiﬁ cant threat by Poland. In that context, since the early 1990s, Poland has been seeking solutions to strengthen its security. It aimed to join the North Atlantic Alliance and establish a close partnership with the United States (bandwagoning). This strategy brought substantial eﬀ ects – in 1999, Poland joined NATO, and since it has hosted allied troops. Poland also wanted to develop cooperation with Ukraine (to a lesser degree also with its other post-Soviet neighbors) and bring them closer to the Euro-Atlantic structures. This policy was, in particular, at weakening Russia’s inﬂ uence in the region (balancing). The results of this strategy have been somewhat ambiguous, though. Ukraine has rejected Russia’s sponsored reintegration projects in the post-Soviet space. The process of reforms in that country, however, is slow and uncertain. As for other post-Soviet states, Poland has largely proven unable to inﬂ uence the desired changes.

Highlights

Until 1991, the USSR was Poland’s biggest immediate neighbour, as well as the dominant power on which Poland had been dependent since the second half of 1940s.1 It is fully understandable that the post-Soviet space continued to be a key are of Poland’s foreign policy after the collapse of the bipolar system
The realism assumes that states define their interests in terms of power, and they compete for power, as well as for assets, which form its material basis
As the membership in NATO (1999) and EU (2004) became a fact, Poland adopted a more active Eastern policy aiming at bringing its neighbours closer to the Western structures,[5] in particular to counterbalance the Russian influence in the region

Summary

Исследовательские статьи

Until 1991, the USSR was Poland’s biggest immediate neighbour, as well as the dominant power on which Poland had been dependent since the second half of 1940s.1 It is fully understandable that the post-Soviet space continued to be a key are of Poland’s foreign policy after the collapse of the bipolar system. Concluding, since 1990s two key dimensions of Polish Eastern policy were, first, to develop Poland’s and Western institutions’ relations with the post-Soviet states (in particular Ukraine, in a lesser way other EaP countries) and second to prevent the rise of influence of the Russian Federation in Central and Eastern Europe.[2]. As the membership in NATO (1999) and EU (2004) became a fact, Poland adopted a more active Eastern policy aiming at bringing its neighbours (in particular Ukraine) closer to the Western structures,[5] in particular to counterbalance the Russian influence in the region It played a major role in the resolution of the political crisis during the Orange Revolution (2004), which led to the election of the pro-Western V. It is Lithuania, not Poland, that has become one of the main proponents of the democratic transformation of Belarus in the region.[2]

Conclusions

Сведения об авторе