The Evolution of Poland’s Foreign Policy Towards the Balkans

Abstract

The main aim of this article is to outline the evolution of Poland’s foreign policy towards the Balkan region from 1989 to modern times. Poland’s foreign policy towards that region can be divided into several stages, the first being the period between the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and Poland’s full accession to the Euro-Atlantic structures, i.e., 1989-2004. The second stage is the 2004-2010 period when Poland implemented its Balkan policy that was underpinned by the European Union’s approach, and practically co-participated in the European Union’s policy towards the Balkan states. The third stage’s commencement was marked by Poland’s preparations for the EU Council Presidency in 2011, and its obligation to coordinate the EU’s Balkan policy as well. This stage is characterised by Poland’s greater involvement in creating policy towards the Balkans, as evidenced by the organisation of a summit called the Berlin Process in Poznań in 2019, which was the initiative of a group of EU Member States involved in developing cooperation with the Western Balkan states. In modern times, however, Poland’s policy in the Balkans remains limited while it should be far more vigorous due to the concerns related to Russia’s influence and expansion in that region.