The Utrecht Conference brought together several dozen experts from Poland and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. They included representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs, national defence, and digital affairs. Talks centred on, among other things, migration, EU enlargement, sanctions against Russia, and defending the EU’s eastern border.

During the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski emphasised that cooperation between Poland and the Netherlands is effective, both bilaterally and within the European Union and NATO. He also thanked Minister van Weel for his support in the appropriate commemoration of Polish World War II heroes, including General Sosabowski. 

After the official opening of the Utrecht Conference, the foreign ministers took part in bilateral political consultations at the Royal Łazienki Park. During the meeting, Minister Sikorski noted the close security cooperation between Poland and the Kingdom of the Netherlands as evidenced, among other things, by the memorandum of understanding on developing defence cooperation signed this July in Warsaw by the Polish and Dutch ministers of national defence. An example of this cooperation involved the support of Dutch F-35 pilots in intercepting Russian drones that violated Poland’s airspace. Radosław Sikorski and David van Weel also discussed transatlantic relations and migration challenges.

On the eve of the event, a lecture was held as part of the Prof. Geremek Lecture Series titled “Russia’s victory strategy. Implications for European Security.” This year’s edition featured a lecture by Deputy Director of the MFA Department of Strategy Agnieszka Legucka, who outlined issues related to the Russian Federation’s strategy towards Western countries.

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The Utrecht Conference is a series of Polish-Dutch meetings organised since 1999. Their aim is to strengthen cooperation between Poland and the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the political, economic, and social domains.