Sikorski presents priorities for Poland's EU Council presidency

Starting January 1, Poland will assume the presidency from Hungary, taking on responsibilities such as directing the Council’s work on EU legislation and fostering cooperation among member states. The presidency will last for six months.

On Friday, during a press conference in Warsaw, Sikorski highlighted the challenging global context of Poland’s presidency, stating: "We have a rich presidency program amidst a highly complex international situation."

He cited Ukraine, escalating geopolitical tensions, and crises in the Middle East, framing the presidency’s motto as "Security, Europe."

According to Sikorski, the presidency will focus on maximizing support for Ukraine, sustaining current policies toward Russia and Belarus, and enhancing EU security and resilience. "We will work closely with the new EU leadership, particularly High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius," he said.

The foreign minister emphasized efforts to reinforce EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus while addressing attempts to circumvent these measures. He announced plans for a February 25 conference, in collaboration with EU Sanctions Representative David O’Sullivan, to discuss challenges in sanctions policy.

Sikorski also announced: "We will strive to gain the support of member states for the full utilization of the frozen assets of the Russian Central Bank to support Ukraine."

Poland’s presidency will prioritize accelerating EU enlargement in Eastern and Southern Europe, focusing on Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans. "We will support the pro-European aspirations of Georgian society and advocate for concrete steps toward EU-Turkey rapprochement," Sikorski stated.

Additionally, Poland aims to revitalize the Eastern Partnership and enhance the EU’s capacity to counter security threats, particularly those from the east. The government will advocate for leveraging EU support mechanisms to develop defense infrastructure such as the Eastern Shield.

As part of its security focus, Poland intends to push for the establishment of a European Council on Resilience Against Disinformation, co-funded by the EU and its member states, to tackle the growing challenges of misinformation.

Sikorski emphasized the need to ensure the EU’s industrial capabilities meet defense sector demands. "We want to collaborate with member states and the European Commission to build a Europe capable of addressing threats, particularly those from the east, including ensuring sufficient industrial production for defense," he said.

While presenting the priorities and activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Poland’s upcoming presidency of the EU Council, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski outlined plans to organize numerous informal meetings.

Among these is a session of the Foreign Affairs Council in the Gymnich format (an informal setting - ed.), which will involve foreign ministers and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. "We are planning 42 such meetings," Sikorski clarified.

He also announced that Poland will host sessions of two other key EU bodies: the Political and Security Committee (PSC), comprising ambassadors from member states, and the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CIVCOM).

"We aim to use this time to strengthen our position as one of the most important and active EU member states and to solidify Poland's status as a member of the B5, one of the five most significant countries in the Union," declared the foreign minister.