Deputy Minister Harazim met with Iceland’s Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir. The talks covered the development of Polish–Icelandic relations, regional cooperation, and the challenges that the countries of Northern Europe face. Iceland welcomed the intensification of bilateral contacts and introduced the priorities of its presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), which begins on 1 July 2026.

Deputy Minister Harazim conducted political consultations with Martin Eyjólfsson, Secretary of State at the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Both sides reaffirmed the very good state of Polish–Icelandic relations and emphasised the importance of cooperation in the Baltic Sea region. Shared international challenges and the role of the large Polish diaspora in Iceland were also discussed.

Deputy head of Polish diplomacy also met with Chair of Iceland’s Foreign Affairs Committee Paweł Bartoszek. The conversation covered the development of parliamentary cooperation between Poland and Iceland.

 

Seminar on security and political cooperation in the Baltic Sea region

Deputy Minister Artur Harazim also attended a seminar titled "Security and Political Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region and Beyond”, held as part of the Polish Presidency of the CBSS. The event was organised by the Polish Embassy in Reykjavík, Iceland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and the Varðberg association.

The seminar was attended by the representatives of the diplomatic corps, members of Icelandic administration, and experts on security and regional cooperation. Among the panellists were Director General for International Affairs and Policy at Iceland’s MFA Anna Hjartardóttir and Director General of the CBSS Secretariat in Stockholm Gustav Lindström.

In his address, Deputy Minister Harazim summarised the results of Poland’s one‑year presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States. He mentioned its key achievements, including the organisation of over a hundred events in and outside of the country, the expansion of expert cooperation, and the preparation of two reports on the Baltic Sea region security:

• Security Cooperation Formats in the Baltic Sea Region. Recommendations for the Council of the Baltic Sea States by the Centre for Eastern Studies: https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-report/2026-05-29/security-cooperation-formats-baltic-sea-region
• White Paper on Russian Acts of Sabotage and Subversion against Members of the Council of the Baltic Sea States by the Polish Institute of International Affairs: https://pism.pl/publications/white-paper-on-russian-acts-of-sabotage-and-subversion-against-members-of-the-council-of-the-baltic-sea-states

Both documents provide a detailed summary of the current security situation on the Baltic Sea and the challenges faced by the CBSS members. 

The participants of the seminar have also discussed the actions to counteract the threats to critical infrastructure, combating the “clunker fleet”, and strengthening the region’s states’ resilience to hybrid threats. Emphasis was also put on the importance of close cooperation among the CBSS member states in order to uphold the security and stability in the region.

 

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The Council of the Baltic Sea States was established in 1992 with Poland as one of its founders. Its current members include: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Norway, Poland, and Sweden, as well as the European Union. The main objectives of the Council include reinforcing political dialogue and regional cooperation in the area of security, stability, and sustainability in the Baltic Sea region.  At present, the Council of the Baltic Sea States runs four main working groups: the Expert Group on Sustainable Maritime Economy, the Task Force Against Trafficking in Human Beings, the Expert Group on Children at Risk, and the Civil Protection Network.