Commentary
But their "principal to principal" model will only be as effective as the political strength of each leader back home.
Damien Ma
{
"authors": [],
"type": "pressRelease",
"centerAffiliationAll": "",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Carnegie Europe"
],
"collections": [
"Europe’s Eastern Neighborhood"
],
"englishNewsletterAll": "",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "",
"programs": [],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"Europe"
],
"topics": [
"Foreign Policy"
]
}
REQUIRED IMAGE
Press Release
Polish Foreign Minister Issues Strong Message on EU Security
On May 12, 2014, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski discussed “EU Security Amid Crisis in Ukraine” in a public Q&A discussion organized by Carnegie Europe.
Published on May 12, 2014
BRUSSELS—Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said on Monday that it was time for Europeans to get serious about their own security and that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine had “given NATO a new lease of life.”
Speaking at a Carnegie Europe event organized in partnership with the Polish Permanent Representation to the European Union, Sikorski said the EU could no longer enjoy free riding at the expense of the United States.
“NATO needs to get back to basics,” he argued. “We were in the business of handing out security guarantees like insurance policies in the confidence that they would not be called upon. We can now be sure that security guarantees that are not made credible will be tested.”
Sikorski said the EU had radically overestimated its soft power and economic attractiveness to its neighbors.
“We thought we could still go on in that old-fashioned way of negotiating for years these free trade agreements, irrespective of political developments in the countries concerned, irrespective of the actions of third parties impacting on the result,” he explained. “This is far too timid and far too slow.”
Sikorski said that since the Ukraine crisis began, and especially since the annexation of Crimea, he sensed a new era emerging in Europe with regard to relations with Russia, “because whereas [before] you could treat the Chechen wars and the Georgia war as exceptions, now it’s a trend.”
On Western sanctions against Russia, Sikorski said the EU “could do more that is intelligent, useful, and effective within stage two,” noting that third-stage measures would have to be conceived with caution. “We have to be very careful not to hurt ourselves more than the other side.”
In addition, Sikorski affirmed that Poland had presented ambitious proposals for strengthening Europe’s energy security. These will be discussed in detail at next month’s EU summit.
The transcript and audio of the event are available on the Carnegie Europe website.
Press Contact: Christine Lynch | +32 2 209 29 93 | clynch@ceip.org
About Carnegie Europe
Carnegie Europe is the Brussels-based center of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Through publications, articles, seminars, and private consultations, Carnegie Europe aims to foster new thinking on the daunting international challenges shaping Europe’s role in the world.
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie China
- Trump and Xi Are Angling for Three Years of Stability
- China Sells Stability Amid American VolatilityCommentary
U.S. unpredictability has allowed China to capitalize on its positioning as the “responsible great power”. Paradoxically, the more China wins the perception game, the more likely expectations will rise for Beijing to deliver not just words but to demonstrate with its deeds.
Chong Ja Ian
- Why Vietnam Is Swinging in China’s DirectionCommentary
Hanoi and Beijing have long treated each other as distant cousins rather than comrades in arms. That might be changing as both sides draw closer to hedge against uncertainty and America’s erratic behavior.
Nguyễn Khắc Giang
- China’s Energy Security Doesn’t Run Through Hormuz but Through the Electrification of EverythingCommentary
Across Asia, China is better positioned to withstand energy shocks from the fallout of the Iran war. Its abundant coal capacity can ensure stability in the near term. Yet at the same time, the country’s energy transition away from coal will make it even less vulnerable during the next shock.
Damien Ma
- Malaysia’s Year as ASEAN Chair: Managing DisorderCommentary
Malaysia’s chairmanship sought to fend off short-term challenges while laying the groundwork for minimizing ASEAN’s longer-term exposure to external stresses.
Elina Noor
