Speaking on Monday at the opening of the European Council on Foreign Relations’ Annual Council Meeting (ACM) 2025 in Warsaw - an event held as part of Poland’s EU Council presidency - the head of Polish diplomacy outlined his vision of a stronger, more united Europe.
Sikorski outlines vision for a stronger EU
Minister Sikorski emphasized that “securing the future of Europe requires radical change in defence policies, but also breaking the barriers toward greater economic integration.”
“Respect and standing in the global race are never given and never constant,” he said.
In a pointed remark, Poland’s top diplomat noted:
“Great powers of the past did not ascend to their positions by giving away candy, but by acting boldly and strategically.
This is the European Union I’d like to see built: stronger, more prosperous, and more secure. Not, as has been said, a gift from history, but a hard-won result of our unity, our labour, and our solidarity - a word we hold sacred in this country.
Either we find in ourselves what it takes to do it, or we will become mere bystanders in world affairs. It’s almost too late to act.”
Sikorski’s full keynote address is available in a recording published by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).
Top European policymakers debate the continent’s future
The ACM is ECFR’s flagship event, bringing together senior policymakers, experts and thought leaders to discuss Europe’s role in the world. This year’s meeting focused on “Europe’s political choices in an age of ambition,” covering geopolitics, security, democracy and economic shifts.
The event was opened by ECFR Co-Chair Lykke Friis and featured welcome remarks from Sikorski and Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Poland’s Undersecretary of State for European Union Affairs.
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Source: X/@ecfr/@/sikorskiradek/YouTube.com/@ECFRTV