Poland's EU Presidency: A Two-Pronged Approach

Poland assumed the six-month rotating EU presidency July 1. Although the importance of the presidency has declined, Poland intends to use its time in office to influence the European Union economically and militarily. Specifically, Poland wants the European Union to maintain its Cohesion Fund, which benefits new EU members and poorer regions of the bloc, and to build a defense policy that will protect Central Europe from a resurging Russia. In both policy areas, Poland is seeking reassurances from the Western Europeans that they care about issues Warsaw and other Central Europeans consider important.