Today, Poland has started its one-year Chairmanship at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Thus, our country is assuming a greater role in shaping security and stabilisation on the European continent in the spirit of the Helsinki Final Act, whose 50th anniversary we will be celebrating in 2025.

“At Christmas time, so special for all Christians across the world, we express solidarity with our brothers in faith in the Holy Land, often targeted by radical groups’ attacks,” said Deputy Minister Jabłoński during a videoconference with church patriarchs of Jerusalem: Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine, and Father Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land.

The Polish and United States top diplomats discussed current security situation in Europe, including the escalation of Russian Federation’s hostile activities towards Ukraine and the continued hybrid attack by Belarus at its border with Poland. Secretary Blinken repeated President Biden’s pledge on the US and its allies’ strong response in the event of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Students from the Western Balkans who would like to study at the College of Europe in Natolin in the academic year 2022/2023 can apply for a scholarship offered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. The deadline for applications is 19 January 2022.

On 21-22 December, the chief of Polish diplomacy paid a visit to Ivano Frankivsk, where, as a guest of honour, he participated in the conference of Ukraine’s ambassadors titled “Diplomacy 30. Strategy of a strong state.”

On 21-22 December, Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau will visit Ukraine.

Tomorrow, on 21 December, the head of Polish diplomacy will pay a one-day visit to Budapest, where he will meet with the foreign ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Turkey, and the deputy foreign minister of Slovakia.

Held in Budapest on 21 December, the meeting was organised under the Hungarian presidency of the Visegrad Group. The focus was on the situation in Afghanistan, countering illegal migration, and the state of affairs in the Western Balkans. Also discussed were relations and cooperation between the EU and Turkey.