02/02/2024
Berlin, Germany
High-level parliamentary delegation to Berlin
From 31 January to 1 February 2024, the Warsaw Security Forum organized a high-level delegation of members of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) to Berlin.
From 31 January to 1 February 2024, the Warsaw Security Forum organized a high-level delegation of members of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) to Berlin. The visit marked a pivotal moment in bilateral relations, representing the first opportunity in several years for such an extensive and direct exchange of opinions between Poland and Germany at the parliamentary level. The mission was a key component of the increasing activity of Polish parliamentary diplomacy, reflecting a commitment to a more proactive and creative approach to international partnership.
The delegation was led by Prof. Katarzyna Pisarska, Chairwoman of the Warsaw Security Forum, and Bartłomiej Kot, Program Director of the WSF. Under the WSF leadership, the Polish side was represented by a distinguished group of lawmakers and officials, including Paweł Kowal, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Michał Kobosko, Chairman of the European Union Affairs Committee; Władysław Bartoszewski, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Marek Krząkała, Member of Parliament. This high-level group engaged in a series of strategic dialogues with the highest-ranking representatives of the German federal government and the Bundestag.
Throughout the visit, the delegation held meetings with notable figures such as Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius, Minister of State for Europe and Climate Anna Lührmann, and Jens Plötner, the Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to Chancellor Scholz. Further discussions were conducted with Michael Roth, Chairman of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee, Anton Hofreiter, Chairman of the Bundestag European Affairs Committee, Dietmar Nietan, the German government’s coordinator for Poland, and Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference. A significant highlight of the mission was a specially convened meeting of the Polish-German Parliamentary Group in the Bundestag, which facilitated a broad exchange with lawmakers from across the German political spectrum.
Polish-German relations deserve a new opening.
Prof. Katarzyna Pisarska
Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum
The discussions centered on several critical pillars, most notably the development of effective solutions to support Ukraine against Russian aggression and the coordination of security policy regarding defense spending. Furthermore, the delegation explored economic cooperation, including potential joint infrastructure projects, and put a particular emphasis on the Weimar Triangle format. In this context, the leaders of the Warsaw Security Forum encouraged their German partners to establish an „International Weimar Fund” dedicated to supporting joint civil society initiatives.
The delegation constituted one of the first stages of preparation for the WSF 2024 Report, helping map out the initiative and define the role of the trilateral format in shaping the future of the European security architecture.
The success of the visit further highlighted the ongoing synergy between state institutions and the Warsaw Security Forum. Both Prof. Pisarska and Mr. Kot continue to play a central role in this cooperation as the leadership of the Social Advisory Team to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Sejm, ensuring that the momentum gained in Berlin translates into long-term strategic benefits for the Polish-German partnership.
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