“A New Quality of Partnership: Poland and France Facing European and Global Security Challenges” — Conference Report
On December 5, the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw hosted a conference dedicated to analyzing relations between Warsaw and Paris in the context of contemporary geopolitical challenges.
The main organizer of the event was the Department of Strategic Studies and International Security at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw, and the partners in the project were: the Association of Knights of the Legion of Honor and the National Order of Merit, and the Association for Strategic Studies.
The conference was officially opened by Prof. Roman Kuźniar (Faculty of Political Science and International Relations, University of Warsaw) and Prof. Andrzej Szeptycki Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Warsaw); in addition, the guests were welcomed by Étienne de Poncins, the French Ambassador to Poland. The introductory lecture, which provided the substantive foundation for further discussions, was delivered by Mr. Damian Przeniosło, Deputy Director of the Department of Security Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The event program included two panel discussions that brought together analysts from academia, think tanks, the military, and the media.
The discussion during the first panel focused on the significance of the Treaty of Nancy for bilateral defense relations. The panelists analyzed the provisions of the treaty in light of contemporary threats to European security, as well as the prospects for the development of defense industry cooperation and collaboration at the operational, training, and strategic levels.
Moderator: Prof. Marek Madej (Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw).
Participants:
- Prof. Agnieszka Cianciara (Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences)
- Gen. Prof. Bogusław Pacek
- Dr. Kinga Torbicka (Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Warsaw)
The second panel was devoted to the concept of European strategic autonomy. Experts compared the Polish and French perspectives on this issue, seeking common ground and areas for cooperation. A key theme of the discussion was the war in Ukraine as a catalyst for strengthening the EU’s defense capabilities, as well as the importance of transatlantic relations for the continent’s future.
Moderator: Marek Ostrowski, editor (“Polityka”).
Participants:
- Prof. Roman Kuźniar (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Warsaw)
- Dr. Wojciech Lorenz (Ministry of National Defense)
- Dr. Łukasz Maślanka (Center for Eastern Studies)
The conference was officially closed, and a summary of the proceedings was presented by Prof. Agnieszka Bieńczyk-Missala, Associate Dean for International Cooperation, Head of the Department of Strategic Studies and International Security at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw.
Photo by Jakub Król