This debate took place live online an May 13 2020. The debate examines how Poland and Germany view the region of Eastern Europe. Both countries have a strong tradition in the region – either through Germany’s Ostpolitik or Poland’s Polityka Wschodnia.

In this debate we address such questions as - What roles do history and geography play in Germany’s Ostpolitik and Poland’s Polityka Wschodnia? What are the commonalities to approaches of both countries? What are the differences? How does each country view the European Union’s position in the region? How do both states support the Eastern Partnership? What about relations with Russia and how did they change after the annexation of Crimea? What are recommendations for strengthening cooperation in this region?

The debate features:
Poland: Agnieszka Bryc - Assistant Professor at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Germany: Wilfried Jilge - Associate Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)
Moderated by Adam Reichardt, editor of New Eastern Europe

The debate is co-organised by the Jan Nowak Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe and the Deutsch-Russischer Austausch e.V. (DRA) and sponsored by the Heinrich Boell Foundation’s Warsaw Office as well as the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation within the framework of the project titled “Ost/Wschód: German-Polish Debates on the East”.