No, Poland Has Not Turned Its Back on Europe

The largest issue set—namely, Poland’s relations with the United States and Germany—is unlikely to change in any fundamental way, though there will be shifting accents on how the policy process unfolds and where the principal emphasis is placed. Poland’s relations with the United States are broadly recognized as fundamental to the country’s security. The United States will remain the central security relationship for Poland, with NATO as its key security framework. With the approaching NATO summit in Warsaw in 2016 it will be important for the new government to show diplomatic skill as it works for a permanent NATO base on the country’s territory. This is an area where Berlin and Warsaw remain divided, and where U.S. leadership on setting the agenda for the summit will be essential.