At the European Parliament in Brussels, a public hearing was held on the Three Seas Initiative, an initiative launched in 2015 by the presidents of Poland and Croatia that brings together 13 Central European countries, at the initiative of PiS MEPs Witold Waszczykowski and Dominik Tarczyński. a project launched in 2015 by the presidents of Poland and Croatia, bringing together 13 Central European countries. The event was attended by Dr. Jan Parys, former Minister of National Defense of Poland, Dr. Przemysław Żurawski vel Grajewski, a political scientist and professor at the University of Łódź; and Dr. Maciej Olchawa, a Kościuszko Foundation fellow at Loyola University Chicago.
Witold Waszczykowski noted that the issue of security has been a key concern for Poland for several hundred years. According to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, “after the end of the Cold War, we hoped that this issue had been resolved, especially after joining NATO and the EU.” He cautioned, however, that “the dilemma has returned, and today we find ourselves caught between aggressive Russian imperialism and the West’s recklessness. Bearing in mind that security is not guaranteed once and for all, we must strengthen our immediate surroundings and build regional integration.”
In conclusion, Waszczykowski stated that the success of the Three Seas Initiative could ensure our resilience against the aforementioned Russian threat and—on the other hand—against the whims of a thoughtless West.
Dominik Tarczyński reflected on the current situation and the future of this project in the context of international events. The MEP recalled that a debate on treaty amendments has been ongoing in the European Parliament for some time and added that this could have a significant impact on the future of the Three Seas Initiative. He also highlighted the importance of the upcoming U.S. presidential election and Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House. As the head of the PiS delegation to the European Parliament noted, the situation in Poland following the election of a new government also raises questions about harnessing the potential of the Three Seas Initiative and the likelihood that this project will be neglected.
Experts participating in the debate highlighted three key aspects of the Three Seas Initiative: the issue of infrastructure development, including dual-use infrastructure (including military applications), energy security based, among other things, on energy imports from the U.S. and connections between the Three Seas countries via gas pipelines; and the importance of U.S. political engagement in the Three Seas project. They also agreed on Poland’s pivotal role in this puzzle; without Poland’s firm commitment, the project has no chance of success.
