Both Poland and Türkiye play crucial roles within NATO, contributing to the security of the Euro-Atlantic community, Poland’s Ambassador to Türkiye Maciej Przemyslaw Lang said, commending growing ties between the two countries.
“Poland and Türkiye have enjoyed a long-standing relationship characterized by mutual respect and collaboration. Our two nations share a rich history of diplomatic ties that dates back over 600 years, which has laid a strong foundation for our modern-day partnership. Consequently, Poland and Türkiye continue to work closely in various areas, including trade, defense and cultural exchanges,” Lang told Daily Sabah.
Emphasizing that collaboration is particularly significant in the context of NATO, Lang said: “We value Türkiye’s strategic position and its efforts in addressing challenges to our common security.”
The ambassador also underlined that Türkiye is facing “a unique set of security challenges” given its strategic location bordering regions of instability, such as the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. “These challenges include threats from terrorism, regional conflicts and pressures on its borders.”
Lang reiterated that Poland took part in NATO’s Tailored Assurance Measures for Türkiye (TAMT), through which soldiers of the Polish Military Contingent were stationed at Incirlik Airbase and contributed to the security and stability of Türkiye, “which in turn strengthens the overall security of NATO.”
“Our involvement reflects our understanding that the security of NATO’s southern flank is just as crucial as the security of the eastern flank, where Poland plays a key role,” Lang highlighted.
He said this collaboration also had reflections in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“This aggression has not only threatened Ukraine’s sovereignty but also challenged the broader security architecture of Europe. In response, Poland and Türkiye have strengthened their cooperation on multiple fronts to address these shared security challenges,” Lang said.
Saying that both Poland and Türkiye have increased participation in joint exercises and coordinated efforts to bolster NATO’s eastern flank, Lang added that Türkiye’s strategic location and military capabilities complement Poland’s role as a front-line state in NATO, ensuring that the alliance remains robust and responsive to any threats emanating from the east.
“Poland and Türkiye are also working together to address the economic implications of the ongoing war in Ukraine, continuing to engage with international partners to coordinate responses to the crisis, including support for Ukraine’s reconstruction,” he continued.
Besides security cooperation, collaboration also extends into the defense industry. Poland’s purchase of Turkish armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) earlier in 2021 marked the first time a NATO or European Union member state acquired drones from Türkiye.
“Turkish drones have demonstrated their effectiveness in various operational environments and we believe they are a valuable addition to our military arsenal,” Lang underlined, saying that the purchase reflects Warsaw’s commitment to enhance its national defense capabilities with “reliable and proven technology.”
He said the drones have met expectations in terms of operational capability, cost-effectiveness and the ability to integrate into Poland’s existing defense systems. “The drones provide us with advanced surveillance and strike capabilities, which are crucial for modernizing our armed forces and ensuring Poland’s security in a complex geopolitical landscape.”
Lang also mentioned that recently, First Deputy Minister of Defense Pawel Bejda and Deputy Minister of State Assets Marcin Kulasek, accompanied by a broad delegation of representatives of Polish defense industry companies, paid a visit to Türkiye and held fruitful talks on long-term strategic cooperation with their Turkish counterparts.
Growing economic ties
On the other side, economic partnerships have similarly been growing.
“Polish and Turkish businesses are increasingly finding opportunities for collaboration, and we are committed to further deepening these ties,” Lang said, indicating that huge potential lies in sectors like green energy, technology and tourism. The ambassador pointed out that 1.6 million Poles visited Türkiye last year, while the figure is expected to have grown in 2024.
Lang said that in 2022, during the fifth session of Poland-Türkiye regular consultations, both sides expressed satisfaction with the level of bilateral trade in goods, which amounted to 7 billion euros ($7.73 billion) in 2021, and voiced determination to increase the volume to 10 billion euros in years to come.
“To our big surprise, the reality has outpaced our expectations and a year later, in 2023, the trade volume between our countries exceeded 12 billion euros, which clearly indicates that our economic cooperation has gained unprecedented momentum.”
He also emphasized that, “Initiatives promoting people-to-people connections, such as educational exchanges and joint cultural projects, are vital to strengthening our bilateral relationship.”
For many years, Poland has been destination No. 1 for Turkish Erasmus students.
“The current shape of Polish-Turkish relations is robust and dynamic, with ample room for further growth and cooperation,” Lang added.
High-level visit
The ambassador also announced that Szymon Hołownia, speaker of the Sejm, Poland’s lower house of parliament, will be visiting Türkiye this month.
“This visit reflects the deepening of strategic relations between Poland and Türkiye and reaffirms our shared commitment to working together to address global challenges. The speaker’s visit also symbolizes the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening the bonds between our nations and advancing common goals.”
EU presidency
Meanwhile, Poland will take on the EU presidency, which rotates among the bloc’s member states every six months, as of Jan. 1, 2025.
Polish President Andrzej Duda in May last year underlined that Warsaw would prioritize strengthening Euro-Atlantic unity during its presidency.
“I’d like to stress that ‘strengthening Euro-Atlantic ties’ for obvious reasons also comprise enhancing cooperation with Türkiye as one of the lynchpins of the Euro-Atlantic community,” Lang said.
He said that among other priorities envisioned by the president were efforts to ensure that Ukraine, together with Moldova and the countries of the Western Balkans, become part of the EU, and support the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. “Nevertheless, the official list of priorities will be adopted by the Government of the Republic of Poland and presented later this year.”
On ties between Ankara and Brussels, Lang reiterated that Warsaw has repeatedly confirmed its unwavering support for Türkiye’s accession to the EU. “Türkiye remains a candidate country and a crucial partner of the EU in many areas.”
He concluded that he and the embassy in Ankara also make contributions in terms of building a better understanding of EU-related matters among future Turkish decision-makers by granting two scholarships every year for Turkish students to the College of Europe in Natolin.
Ankara’s EU membership negotiations started in 2005 but entered a stalemate after 2007 due to the Cyprus issue and political opposition to Türkiye’s membership by several member states.
