Yesterday (7 May 2025), the second edition of the Warsaw Security Forum’s Public Dialogue took place in Warsaw. Leading diplomats, public officials, representatives of major media outlets, and other notable personalities gathered under the auspices of Poland’s EU Council Presidency and the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland to reflect on where Europe is heading and what can be done to ensure it keeps moving in the right direction.

Strongly-worded speeches and statements were delivered in response to the ongoing political unrest that has been unfolding in recent years. Today, democracy is facing a myriad of challenges. Autocrats and other adversaries of democratic values and institutions are not falling—they are growing stronger. As one panelist put it, our political landscape has never resembled a jungle more than it does now, marked by relentless power struggles.

In light of this, international cooperation, built on trust and solidarity, is crucial for maintaining lasting peace and countering the wave of external threats and attacks. “What we see now in Europe are attempts to disrupt our security,” stated Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Undersecretary of State and Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland. “We need to be competitive to be secure,” she added.

During the event, encouraging and uplifting remarks were also shared, with the panel conversations radiating a sense of optimism and confidence. As Professor Katarzyna Pisarska, Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum and the Casimir Pulaski Foundation aptly stated, “We are presented with an opportunity to create a more sovereign, united, and strong Europe.”

Key topics addressed during the event included:

• European elections
• The rise of populism
• Ukraine’s path to the EU
• Security investments, deterrence, and the defence capabilities of NATO and the EU
• Hybrid threats and cyberattacks, along with other destabilization operations directed against Europe
• The future of transatlantic relations

A recurring subject throughout the talks was the future of transatlantic relations in the context of the war in Ukraine and Putin’s imperial ambitions. Speaking to Professor Katarzyna Pisarska, who moderated the Ministerial Panel Discussion on balancing European defence resources and geopolitical power, Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, remarked:

“Given EU defence spending, which exceeds Russian war budget by 2.5 times, Europe should not be afraid for its deterrence capabilities—even with limited support from the United States.”

The event concluded with some words of encouragement from Zbigniew Pisarski, President of the Board of the Casimir Pulaski Foundation: “Freedom must be actively defended. We have the strength to do it, and we should have the courage to show it.”

Ending on that positive note, we would like to thank all our distinguished guests and speakers for their insightful contributions to the discussions. A special thank you also goes out to our institutional and media partners — GOOGLE, CEPA, PZU FUNDACJA, POLITICO, and TVP WORLD — for their invaluable support.

The dialogue doesn’t stop here—it continues. We look forward to gathering again next year with an equally impressive turnout and a prominent line up of speakers.