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1. The US's tougher stance on multilateral formats

Author:
Szymon Zaręba
Publication Date:
03-2027
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM)
Abstract:
The administration of US President Donald Trump will seek to exert greater influence over processes within the UN, whilst reducing its involvement in the activities of several international organisations (IOs) which it considers less important. The reduction in funding for various formats will increase pressure on Poland and like-minded states to increase their contributions towards their maintenance.
Topic:
International Organization, United Nations, Multilateralism, and Donald Trump
Political Geography:
Poland, North America, and United States of America

2. China's 2026-2030 Five-Year Plan: Continuing the Economic Model and Increasing Self-Reliance

Author:
Marcin Przychodniak
Publication Date:
04-2026
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM)
Abstract:
The latest five-year plan, adopted in March this year by the Chinese parliament, identifies industrial modernisation and the pursuit of technological independence as key to China’s economic development. It mentions increased consumption and improved social conditions, but these are not priorities. The development of modern industries is intended to increase the competitiveness of Chinese companies relative to entities from developed countries, including Poland. The direction outlined by the plan is another argument for strengthening the protection of the EU single market and supporting an active EU industrial policy.
Topic:
Economics, European Union, Economic Development, Modernization, Industry, and Competition
Political Geography:
China, Europe, Asia, and Poland

3. The EU and Australia strengthen trade and security partnership

Author:
Patryk Kugiel
Publication Date:
04-2026
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM)
Abstract:
On 24 March, during a visit to Australia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the conclusion of negotiations on a free trade agreement and the establishment of a Security and Defence Partnership. These agreements are intended to help both sides diversify their trade, reducing dependence on China, whilst increasing resilience to US political and economic pressure. It also presents an opportunity for Poland to intensify its cooperation with Australia.
Topic:
European Union, Partnerships, Free Trade, Trade, and European Commission
Political Geography:
China, Europe, Poland, and Australia

4. Lee Jae-myung's Inter-Korean Policy

Author:
Oskar Pietrewicz
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
The Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM)
Abstract:
South Korea’s attempts to improve relations with North Korea have been unsuccessful. Although this is mainly due to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) reluctance to resume contacts with the Republic of Korea (ROK), an additional problem has been caused by the inconsistent actions of President Lee Jae-myung’s administration, which has been in office since June last year. The administration’s goal of ‘peaceful coexistence’ effectively means accepting reunification as unlikely, a prospect that is losing support in South Korean society. To avoid an escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea could seek to cooperate with countries that regularly engage with the DPRK, such as Poland.
Topic:
Conflict Prevention, Foreign Policy, International Cooperation, and Bilateral Relations
Political Geography:
Asia, South Korea, North Korea, and Poland

5. From Digitalization to Forest Pedagogy: Innovative Educational Pathways for Sustainable Development in Poland

Author:
Szymon Godawa
Publication Date:
05-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
Education for sustainable development (ESD) requires new forms of teacher preparation that combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience. The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of workshop-based classes designed to develop micro-competences – understood here as narrowly defined, measurable components of professional competences that can be certified through micro-credentials in accordance with European Commission guidelines (2022). The research was qualitative in nature and was conducted within the interpretive paradigm. Participant observation and document analysis were applied, including thematic analysis of didactic commentaries following Braun & Clarke’s (2006) procedure. The study involved 70 fifth-year students of preschool and early school pedagogy, who participated in 15 hours of lectures and 15 hours of exercises dedicated to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda. The results show that students significantly developed social competences (teamwork, empathy, communication), the ability to integrate theory with practice, and critical thinking regarding socio-ecological challenges. They demonstrated high readiness to implement educational innovations and to apply the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). However, deficiencies were observed in entrepreneurial competences, particularly in planning and initiating micro-enterprises, which indicates the need to strengthen economic and career education in teacher training. These findings confirm that well-structured, experiential ESD activities are an effective means of preparing future teachers for the challenges of the 21st century. They also highlight the need to supplement curricula with elements developing entrepreneurial and systemic thinking, which are crucial for building ecological social capital and promoting lifelong learning.
Topic:
Education, Pedagogy, Innovation, Digitalization, Sustainable Development, Credentials, and Experiential Learning
Political Geography:
Europe and Poland

6. Resilience and Cross-Border Cooperation in Cultural Heritage Protection: The Lublin Triangle’s Response to Ukraine’s Cultural Crisis

Author:
Elżbieta Olzacka and Katarzyna Pasternak
Publication Date:
03-2026
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
The article examines how Poland and Lithuania supported Ukraine’s cultural heritage during Russia’s full scale invasion and clarifies the Lublin Triangle’s primarily political, solidarity building function rather than an operational delivery role. Drawing on qualitative analysis of official documents, institutional reports, public communications, and stakeholder interviews, it evaluates cultural sector responses in 2022–2023 with attention to delivery capacity, coordination, and sustainability. The study finds that targeted aid to museums, archives, and memory institutions was provided chiefly through bilateral and institution to institution mechanisms, while the Lublin Triangle consolidated political messaging without generating rapid tools for cultural protection. Across cases, core contribution areas included logistics (protective materials and transport), training (emergency safeguarding and evacuation), documentation (damage assessment and digitization), and international advocacy (UNESCO aligned actions and anti trafficking guidance). The analysis underscores the need to institutionalize hybrid, apolitical arrangements that couple governmental legitimacy with the flexibility and resilience of civil society networks, mitigating vulnerability to political cycles and sustaining cultural heritage protection under wartime conditions.
Topic:
Museums, Resilience, Heritage, Cooperation, Protection, and Russia-Ukraine War
Political Geography:
Europe, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and Lublin Triangle

7. Necessary Neighbors: Poland and Ukraine Must Stabilize Their Strained Partnership

Author:
Yuliia Korotia
Publication Date:
01-2026
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMFUS)
Abstract:
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Polish-Ukrainian relations have moved from a phase of exceptional solidarity to one of mounting tension and deepening structural strain. What initially seemed to be a long-term strategic partnership grounded in shared security interests has evolved into a more fragmented and fragile, at times almost hostile, relationship. This shift, visible across political, economic, and social dimensions, risks undermining not only bilateral cooperation but also the broader foundations of regional stability at a moment of ongoing war, strategic uncertainty in Europe, and a potentially antagonistic transatlantic relationship. If Poland and Ukraine fail to adopt a more realistic, constructive, and mutually attentive approach to the partnership, their cooperation will weaken in ways that directly affect military logistics, EU cohesion, regional resilience, and resistance to hybrid threats. Understanding how the relationship has changed, and what deeper dynamics are driving this, is essential for assessing the risks ahead and identifying pathways to improve the relationship.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Bilateral Relations, European Union, Russia-Ukraine War, and Strategic Partnerships
Political Geography:
Europe, Ukraine, and Poland

8. Polish Presidency of the Council - A paradigm shift in Poland's European policy

Author:
Piotr Buras and Michał Matlak
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
Abstract:
Poland is holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2025. After a controversial Hungarian presidency and political turbulence in France and Germany, European public opinion is looking to Poland, where an openly Eurosceptic government was ousted in the 2023 elections. This change has come at a time when the European Union is facing major existential challenges, in particular with the war in Ukraine, which are especially resonant in Poland. The hopes pinned on Poland are as much a reflection of the impression of a leadership vacuum in Europe that Warsaw - who else at the moment? - could fill, as well as the country's growing economic and geopolitical position after two decades of EU membership.
Topic:
Public Opinion, European Union, Geopolitics, and Regional Politics
Political Geography:
Europe and Poland

9. What future for rule of law protection? Towards a more effective use of the EU’s toolbox under the vdL 2.0 Commission

Author:
Maria Skóra
Publication Date:
07-2025
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Policy Centre (EPC)
Abstract:
Threats to the rule of law in the EU persist. Halting rule of law erosion in Poland has brought only temporary relief. Continued backsliding in Hungary and recent setbacks in Slovakia pose a threat to European integration and the EU’s legal order. Moreover, illiberal Eurosceptics are also on the rise in other countries, like Italy, Germany, France. Given the potential EU enlargement and the urgent reset of EU’s security and defence architecture, next to defending democracy, it is also crucial to continue strengthening the rule of law within the EU. Faced by the above-mentioned dire developments, the first von der Leyen Commission (2019-2024) placed the rule of law in the spotlight, developing a rule of law toolbox consisting of monitoring and corrective tools. The second von der Leyen Commission (2024-2029) vowed to take this matter seriously, making the strategic decision to continue tackling rule of law erosion by applying financial pressure, in particular: the instruments for protecting the EU budget. This Policy Brief looks at the future of rule of law protection under the vdL 2.0 Commission. It takes stock of the past failures and achievements, identifying paths towards a more effective use of the existing EU’s toolbox. It advocates for further development of financial conditionality, and making it a standard practice as well as building solid causal links between conditionality and the existing monitoring tools in order to avoid accusations of its arbitrary and politicised use. Consistency should become a guiding principle to foster the EU’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.
Topic:
Governance, Reform, European Union, Rule of Law, European Commission, and Regional Politics
Political Geography:
Europe, Poland, and Hungary

10. From Wałęsa to Rivlin: An Overview of Challenges and Controversies in Polish-Israeli Relations in the Post-Cold War Period Within a Bi – and Multilateral Dimension

Author:
Justyna Łapaj-Kucharska
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Polish Political Science Yearbook
Institution:
Polish Political Science Association (PPSA)
Abstract:
The centuries-long coexistence of the Polish and Jewish nations gives Polish-Israeli relations specificity and unique character. One can state that there is an emotional bond between these nations, which shaped interstate relations in the post-Cold War period, simultaneously facilitating and hindering their progress. The article reviews the most critical challenges and controversies surrounding building state relations between Poland and Israel after the Cold War. It also analyzed how selected historical events related to the coexistence of the Polish and Jewish nations influenced later Polish-Israeli relations. The work summary included recommendations for further actions to develop interstate relations further. The present research uses investigative methods and techniques in the field of social sciences, such as documentary analysis and review of official statements from politicians, analysis of primary literary sources, the decisional method, secondary analysis of quantitative research, and deduction. Due to the formal constraints of this article, the author has selected the issues that have emerged in Polish-Israeli dialogue within a state context, emphasizing political relations.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Bilateral Relations, and Post-Cold War
Political Geography:
Europe, Middle East, Israel, Poland, and Palestine