Polish-Russian Relations in the Context of the EU's New Eastern Policy

The Polish people's experience with Russian and Soviet hegemony has pushed the country to advocate a more robust stance against Russian foreign policy. This legacy spurred Poland to take an active role in Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution and has also given rise to Warsaw's demand that the EU should adopt a new approach towards the countries of Eastern Europe. Poland's policy toward Eastern Europe involves more than simply building on the EU's foreign policy to Russia. Special emphasis is given to the integration of Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus, as well as the Caucasus and Central Asia. These assertive features combine with the Polish government's interest in diversifying energy supplies and reducing the country's dependency on Russian gas and oil deliveries. Poland's views are not necessarily in synch with the rest of Europe. In order for the EU to implement the eastern dimension of its Neighborhood Policy effectively, the entire EU must ratify the EU Constitutional Treaty or at least sign its institutional aspects into law - a fundamental prerequisite for concerted action on the part of the EU 27. As a result, the Polish government will have to rethink its current stance and adopt a more pragmatic position if Poland is to continue to play an important role beyond the EU's eastern frontiers.