Speaking at a press conference in Warsaw marking the halfway point of the six-month rotating presidency, Szłapka said that “this has been a truly good 90 days for the European Union, and as Poland, we can be proud of that."
He added that placing security at the centre of EU policy had been Poland’s key goal from the outset.
"We wanted this to be the moment when Europe wakes up and takes responsibility for its own security," Szłapka said on Monday. "Halfway through our presidency, we can say that this is really happening."
Poland holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU for the first half of 2025. During this time, Polish ministers and experts lead meetings and negotiations within the Council, which is one of the EU’s key decision-making bodies.
Szłapka pointed to the European Commission’s recent release of a white paper on defence as evidence that security is now at the top of the EU agenda.
The document proposes the creation of a new financing tool that would allow EU member states to invest in defence through EUR 150 billion in low-interest loans.
The proposed mechanism is currently under discussion and is referred to as SAFE (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform).
The minister also underscored that Poland’s proposal for defending the EU’s eastern border—known as the Eastern Shield programme—is now widely recognised as a strategic EU project.
"Nobody doubts it anymore," he said.
Support for Ukraine remains a consistent theme of the Polish presidency. Szłapka said efforts are underway to open the first cluster of accession negotiations with Ukraine during Poland’s term.
He also stressed that EU sanctions against Russia remain in force, including a 16th package adopted during the current presidency.
Monday's press briefing also featured Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, deputy minister for European affairs, and Ignacy Niemczycki, a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Niemczycki highlighted the economic dimension of security, arguing that "a strong and competitive economy is essential for our safety."
He called for renewed growth across the EU and said the bloc must stop being "naïve" in its economic policies.
Niemczycki said there is growing momentum toward this shift in thinking, pointing to recent meetings of EU trade and economy ministers in Warsaw as "very productive."
He listed key priorities such as boosting private sector investment in Europe’s economy, lowering energy costs and supporting traditional industries.
Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, meanwhile, said that the presidency also provides a chance to promote Poland itself as an "innovative and modern" country.
She cited numerous promotional activities, including cultural and business events, as well as educational initiatives in schools to raise awareness about the EU.
Poland previously held the EU presidency in the second half of 2011.
Each EU member state takes on the role for six months on a rotating basis, beginning in either January or July.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP