The security of Europe today depends on the strength of Central and Eastern Europe

“The voice of Poland and Slovakia is critical and is all the more important the more coherent it is”, said PM Morawiecki, thanking his counterpart for the fruitful talks.

During the talks, Poland and Slovakia spoke in unison about what is happening beyond their eastern borders, including the strategic challenges involved, and the opportunities for the development of both our region and all of Central Europe.

Prime Minister Morawiecki stressed that the war in Ukraine, along with its atrocities, evokes images from the past that were never to return. Russia has not merely started a war in the military sense, but it has also impacted energy and food security and led to gigantic inflation.

The head of the Polish government pointed out that the war would have been over long ago if only all Western European countries were as tough and fought for peace as vigorously as Ukrainians are fighting today for the sovereignty of their state.

“It is our duty to be with Ukraine today, in this darkest hour. After all, Ukraine and Ukrainians are also fighting for peace in this part of Europe, and perhaps also in all of Europe. Today, we must all help our Ukrainian neighbours as smartly as possible to ensure that these dark clouds do not come over our territory”, said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

Declaration on the occasion of the 3rd Polish-Slovak Intergovernmental Consultations

“Good neighbourly cooperation is one of the basic conditions for a successful European and foreign policy. Dialogue and understanding are vital tools for further comprehensive development”, reads the declaration signed at the Consultations.

“The challenges we are facing in today’s evolving and increasingly unpredictable world require a greater commitment on our part. They emphasize the importance of cooperation, solidarity and cohesion. They show the real value of partnerships and alliances”, the document explains.

In the declaration, both countries condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine, their common neighbour. They also called on the Russian Federation to end the war immediately and withdraw all forces unconditionally from Ukrainian territory. Poland and Slovakia also expressed their full support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

As members of the EU and NATO, both countries reaffirmed their readiness to further bolster transatlantic unity. They also expressed their hope that by adopting the new Strategic Concept, the June NATO Summit in Madrid will reaffirm the collective defence of the Allies as NATO’s primary task and lead to a permanent strengthening of the presence of NATO forces on the eastern flank, from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

Ending dependence on Russian gas

“Today, we discussed how to help Slovakia end its dependence on Russian gas”, said PM Morawiecki, thanking Slovakia for its excellent attitude in this matter despite its dependence on Russian gas being greater than Poland’s. “This is what solidarity is all about”, he added.

“The future of our energy, oil and gas sources is crucial to us. This is why Poland is our key partner in this field. As of today, the construction of a gas connection between Poland and Slovakia is nearing completion. We expect a test run as early as July 2022”, said the Prime Minister of Slovakia Eduard Heger.