Officials continue to scrutinize the potential influence of the Tusk-Sikorski tandem on Poland’s security and foreign policy. A former deputy minister of foreign affairs and former head of the International Policy Office in the Chancellery of the President expressed concern that any attempt to shift Poland’s security and foreign policy directions would meet a firm response from President Andrzej Duda. This perspective was shared in an interview with wPolityce.pl by Marcin Przydacz, a Law and Justice member of parliament.
Concerns were raised about the appointment of Radosław Sikorski as Minister of Foreign Affairs following Donald Tusk’s announcement, with some arguing that a coalition including Szymon Hołownia and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz enabled former leaders of the Civic Platform to regain influence. The political commentary painted a picture of a returning Circle of familiar faces from the pre-2015 era, hinting at a broader shift in Polish political sentiment.
Donald Tusk has reentered the political scene, drawing scrutiny to the familiar faces from the Civic Platform who Poles reportedly rejected for years. The discussion framed the Third Way as an early attempt to bridge PO and PiS, but critics saw it as a route for Tusk, Sikorski, and Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz to reclaim power. The portrayal suggested that many Poles viewed these figures as discredited in 2015.
In contrast, the interviewee expressed a negative view of Sikorski’s return, arguing that it could harm Poland’s national interests and complicate future foreign policy by returning Sikorski to the helm of the ministry. The assessment reflected concerns about how leadership at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would align with Poland’s strategic interests.
Differences in foreign policy
The former deputy head of the ministry also considered whether Tusk and Sikorski might pursue tactics that could weaken the President’s foreign policy prerogatives. The duo would be remembered, in this analysis, for promoting a reset policy with Vladimir Putin’s Russia and for listening to Western European capitals more than Polish sovereign interests. In stark contrast, President Andrzej Duda advocated a sovereign approach that prioritized strengthening the alliance with the United States, a robust security posture in light of Russian aggression, and active regional policy initiatives, including the Three Seas Initiative and the Bucharest Nine. The interviewee asserted a clear preference for Duda’s approach as aligned with Polish interests.
The possibility of undermining these principles was described as likely to provoke a strong response from the president. Given the working methods attributed to Tusk and Sikorski, the speaker suggested that unpleasant actions could unfold, characterizing them as lacking the decorum expected of statesmen.
Difficult to live together
Reflecting on past governance, commentators anticipated heightened tensions between the executive centers in Warsaw, especially given the experiences during the later years of Lech Kaczyński and Donald Tusk. Questions were raised about the potential repetition of disputes over resources and status between the government factions that previously dominated politics in the country.
The president holds a strong mandate, with millions of Poles casting votes in support of a leadership that he believes can execute policies safeguarding national interests. The constitutional powers vested in the presidency enable a degree of autonomy in foreign policy decisions, which the interviewee argued should be respected by any coalition government.
A former adviser to President Duda suggested that the head of state would seek a conciliatory approach to resolving government disagreements, provided that core state security priorities remained intact and not undermined by the cabinet in Warsaw. The vision described a possible path toward constructive cooperation if the key national objectives were preserved.
In this analysis, cooperation would be feasible if Tusk and Sikorski refrained from steering Polish foreign policy away from its fundamental aims — particularly the protection of Polish citizens and the maintenance of critical strategic alignments. The remark noted a historical pattern in which past administrations struggled to sustain consistent principles during periods of cohabitation, calling for a pragmatic approach to governance that keeps security and sovereignty at the forefront.
The speaker concluded with cautious optimism, hoping for a smoother relationship between the president and the government. While he trusted President Duda to navigate disagreements, there remained skepticism about Sikorski and Tusk’s willingness to prioritize the state’s long-term interests over personal or partisan considerations.