Defence and International Security

In July 2026, Canada joined the Japanese-Italian-British Global Combat Air Programme – whose goal is to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet – as its first external partner, albeit only as an observer. Germany is also said to be increasingly interested in cooperation, while other nations have long featured on the list of potential candidates. In light of the programme's progress and other factors, including lessons learned from the collapse of a similar Franco-German endeavor, the question remains whether and how Tokyo, London, and Rome will expand the programme.

In mid-October, unconfirmed rumors of Kim Jong Un’s death circulated in international media. At the same time, North Korea decided to deploy propaganda loudspeakers along the Demilitarized Zone and further intensify the militarization of its border with the Republic of Korea.

The Republic of Korea (ROK) security interests are being increasingly impacted by the war in Ukraine. The most important consequence of the conflict is the empowerment and emboldening of a nation that has been a perennial national security dilemma for both Seoul and Washington: the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The ROK suffers what could be called the collateral damage that the Ukraine war and the Russia-DPRK alliance it has produced. To address these issues the ROK is likely to invest in more minilateral groupings in the Indo-Pacific region as opposed to the previous practice of bilateral arrangements. These minilateral cooperative formations are likely to include the US – along with allies that share similar values – these being liberal democracy and a free-market economic system.

On 22nd September, in her speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UN GA) the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi - as the first Japanese leader since 2005 - urged the removal of the ‘enemy state’ clause from the UN Charter. The provision was included in the UN's founding document to denote nations that fought against the Charter’s original signatories during World War II, specifically targeting Axis powers such as Germany, Italy and Japan. Although over eight decades have passed since the end of the conflict and the ‘enemy states’ are well-functioning democracies, the clause remains in its original form. Moreover, in 1995 the UN GA adopted a resolution stipulating it had ‘become obsolete’ and called for its erasure from the Charter.

According to Finnish media reports, the United Kingdom has proposed extending a nuclear umbrella over the members of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). Apart from France and the United States, the UK is the only NATO member possessing its own nuclear capability. The initiative arose in response to declining faith in the nuclear umbrella provided by the United States. Poland's participation in the format would make sense if it were covered by the initiative's nuclear deterrence.

The three-day Donald Trump–Xi Jinping summit, held on 23–25 September 2026, has been widely described as rich in ceremony but poor in substance. The leaders of the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) failed to achieve a breakthrough on any of the major international disputes currently at stake, nor did they announce any significant new initiatives.

On March 12, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) legislature adopted the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress (民族团结进步促进法). The adoption of the law took place during the annual Lianghui, or (两会), meaning the “two sessions,” or the annual plenary meetings of China’s top legislative and political advisory bodies. These are the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

What do Poland and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have in common? Despite the distance between the two and the fact that they are representative of and stand as the most successful nations economically, politically and militarily in their respective regions of the world, despite the two nations being the products of two entirely different cultures, the answer to that question of what they have in common is “a great deal.”

The reality of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, rising defense spending across Europe, and the Benelux countries’ commitment to strengthening EU capabilities (particularly in the context of expanding the defense industrial base and scientific research, as well as cross-border military projects), have made these countries a valuable direction for Poland in the coming years for developing new forms of cooperation and investment, as well as a point of reference and an opportunity to mutually benefit from best practices and experience.

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has become a key European defence partner – and has achieved success in this regard to a level that was perhaps previously not thought possible.

Around a decade ago at the Singapore Air Show the executive of a major US defence company told me more than once “my best sales agents are the Chinese. Every time they make a public show of steaming their aircraft carrier out for sea trials or commit another one of their violations of some nation’s territorial waters or build up another one of their artificial islands – that’s when my phone starts ringing. Other nations in the region suddenly want to know how soon they could have some US-made military hardware, especially if they are EDA [Excess Defence Articles].”

Second half of May 2026 was a busy time in Asian diplomacy

On 12 May 2026, more than thirty participants convened at the offices of Wardyński and Partners on Aleje Ujazdowskie in Warsaw for a meeting of the National Security Industrial Club (NSIC) and the Casimir Pulaski Foundation, dedicated to drone and counter-drone systems as a challenge for Poland's security.

Nearly four years after the beginning of the full scale Russian invasion on Ukraine, Poland faces a strategic decision on how to advance cooperation with Ukraine in the rapidly growing field of military drone production. The choice lies between basing this partnership on the NATO frameworks or pursuing it bilaterally. Each of the options presents specific advantages and trade-offs in terms of speed, control, industrial benefit, and strategic influence.

Todays near standoff between the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the Scarborough Shoal is a reminder that over time foreign policy mistakes only expand in their complexity and negative implications.

Cheng Li-wun, Kuomintang’s (KMT – current Taiwanese opposition) leader, just concluded her April 7-12 visit to People’s Republic of China.

On March 2, 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in Brest a revision of nuclear deterrence policy aimed at increasing France’s nuclear potential and enhancing cooperation in this area with allies. This is another element of a broader adaptation of French security policy in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine and growing uncertainty regarding the United States’ commitment to European security, including in light of the new U.S. National Security Strategy.

The Casimir Pulaski Foundation’s Asia Research Center initiative endeavoured to spearhead the research into joint perspectives between Poland and the Asia-Pacific.