FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Russia Could Block Access to Baltic Sea, US General Says

New Atlanticist
Jun 2, 2025

Experts react: Conservative Karol Nawrocki is Poland’s next president. What does it mean for Poland, Europe, and the world?

By
Atlantic Council experts

On June 1, the historian and former boxer triumphed in Poland’s presidential election. Atlantic Council experts share their insights on the contest, the winner, and what’s next.

Elections
Poland

Russia Could Block Access to Baltic Sea, US General Says

New Atlanticist
Mar 14, 2025

Why Poland’s president wants US nuclear weapons

By
Marek Magierowski

President Andrzej Duda said this week that US nuclear weapons should be deployed in his country. To understand why, look at not just Poland’s security but also its politics.

Central Europe
Nuclear Deterrence

Russia Could Block Access to Baltic Sea, US General Says

New Atlanticist
Jan 6, 2025

What to expect from Poland’s EU presidency and its focus on ‘Security, Europe!’

By
Aaron Korewa

Poland sought a leadership role in Europe, and now it has one as it takes up the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union.

European Union
Poland

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Thu, June 5, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

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At this year’s Warsaw Week—the Europe Center’s annual flagship conference—experts and officials gather in Poland to highlight the importance of relations between the United States and Europe.

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A conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Radosław Sikorski

Minister Sikorski joins the Atlantic Council to discuss the new Polish government’s priorities and vision for Polish foreign policy and transatlantic relations.

Central Europe
Europe & Eurasia
Poland
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Content

Gen. Ben Hodges, Commander of US Army Europe, Dec. 9, 2015

NATOSource

Dec 10, 2015

Russia Could Block Access to Baltic Sea, US General Says

By Defense One, Defense News, and Army News Service

From Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One:  Russia has moved ballistic missiles to and conducted nuclear strike drills from its Kaliningrad exclave, prompting Pentagon fears that Moscow could block access to the Baltic Sea.

Central Europe Hungary
Leaders of nine NATO states meeting in Bucharest, Nov. 4, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 4, 2015

Nine Heads of State Call on Alliance to ‘Strengthen the Eastern Flank of NATO’

By Calea Europeana

“We, the Presidents of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Estonia, Hungary, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic and the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

Central Europe Hungary
US soldiers training in Lithuania, March 2, 2015

NATOSource

Oct 28, 2015

NATO Looks at Stationing More Troops Along Eastern Flank

By Julian E. Barnes, Wall Street Journal

NATO countries are discussing increasing the number of troops stationed in members bordering Russia and putting them under formal alliance command, part of a new effort to deter aggression from Moscow,

Germany NATO

New Atlanticist

Oct 27, 2015

Poland’s Right Turn

By Michał Kobosko

Poland’s domestic political scene experienced a major shake-up after the main opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS), crushed the ruling Civic Platform (PO)-led coalition in the parliamentary election on Oct. 25. According to late exit polls, PiS will gain no less than 37 percent of the vote, while PO will get just 23 percent. A […]

Poland

New Atlanticist

Oct 21, 2015

Polish-German Ties: A Return to the Past?

By Adam Twardowski

In late August, three weeks after assuming office, Poland’s President, Andrzej Duda, embarked on a well-received official visit to Berlin. It allayed concerns in some quarters that his presidency would resurrect the combative foreign policy his right-wing party, Law and Justice, practiced toward Germany from 2005 to 2007. At that time, prickly ties between Warsaw […]

Germany Poland
Russian Su-27 fighter jet intercepted by UK Typhoon participating in NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission, June 17, 2014

NATOSource

Oct 5, 2015

A ‘New Normal’ for NATO and Baltic Sea Security

By Anna Wieslander

It might appear natural that focus on Baltic Sea security would have come quickly for NATO after the Russian annexation of Crimea in March 2014, but this was not the case.

Germany NATO
Range of Russia's Iskander missiles when deployed in Kaliningrad

NATOSource

Oct 1, 2015

Is NATO’s New Fulda Gap in Poland?

By Paul McLeary, Foreign Policy

The head of U.S. Army Europe is eyeing a narrow sliver of land connecting Poland with Lithuania, concerned about the Russian troops and equipment he has been watching pile up on either side.

Belarus NATO
NATO Exercise Noble Jump, June 18, 2015

NATOSource

Sep 29, 2015

Five Recommendations for Strengthening NATO’s Response to Russian Aggression

By Radek Sikorski And Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Wall Street Journal

Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as its military build-up and threatening words and behavior in the Baltic Sea region, show that we have not yet fully communicated to the Kremlin that it should back off.

NATO Northern Europe

In the News

Sep 29, 2015

Benitez on the Suwalki Gap

By Jorge Benitez

Foreign Policy quotes Brent Scowcroft Center Resident Senior Fellow and NATOSource Director Jorge Benitez on the militarization of the area of land between Poland and Lithuania:

Poland Russia
Russian Su-27 fighter jets, Aug. 27, 2013

NATOSource

Sep 15, 2015

Russia has Closed the Air Power Gap with NATO, US General Warns

By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr., Breaking Defense

“The alarming thing,” said the commander of US Air Forces in Europe, is that the Russians are catching up. “They’ve closed the gap.”

Europe & Eurasia Missile Defense
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Experts

Fellow

Marek Magierowski

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Joanna Siekiera

Nonresident Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Rule of Law Polish

Fellow

Danuta Hübner

Distinguished Fellow

Europe Center

Democratic Transitions Economy & Business

Fellow

Ian Brzezinski

Senior Fellow

Europe Center Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Central Europe Defense Policy

Staff

Denise Forsthuber

Deputy Director, Strategic Engagement and Operations

Europe Center Transform Europe Initiative

Central Europe Eastern Europe

Fellow

Daniel Fried

Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative Eurasia Center

Eastern Europe Democratic Transitions
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