“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 devoted to analyzing Warsaw-Paris relations 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, and the partners of the project were: the Association of Knights of the Legion of Honor and the National Order of Merit, and the Association of Strategic Studies.

The conference was officially opened by Prof. Roman Kuźniar (Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw) and Prof. Andrzej Szeptycki, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw). The introductory lecture, which provided the substantive basis for further discussions, was given by Prof. Robert Kupiecki, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (WNPiSM UW).

The event program included two discussion panels, which brought together analysts from academia, think tanks, the military, and the media.

The discussion in the first panel focused on the significance of the Nancy Treaty for bilateral defense relations. The panelists analyzed the provisions of the document in light of contemporary threats to European security, as well as the prospects for the development of defense industry cooperation and cooperation 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)
• Amanda Dziubińska (Polish Institute of International Affairs)
• Gen. Prof. Bogusław Pacek
• Dr. Kinga Torbicka (Faculty of Political Science and International Relations, University of Warsaw)

The second panel was devoted to the concept of European strategic autonomy. Experts compared the Polish and French visions of this issue, looking for common ground and areas for cooperation. An important topic of 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 future of the continent.

Moderator: Marek Ostrowski (Polityka).
Participants:

• Prof. Roman Kuźniar (WNPiSM UW)
• Dr. Wojciech Lorenz (Ministry of National Defense)
• Dr. Łukasz Maślanka (Center for Eastern Studies)

The conference was officially closed and summarized by Prof. Agnieszka Bieńczyk-Missala, Vice-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.