Interview of Polish Ambassador Paweł Radomski with APA
Azerbaijan–Poland relations are very good
– Mr. Ambassador, first of all, I would like to ask about bilateral relations. Poland and Azerbaijan enjoy very good relations. In your opinion, what further steps can be taken to strengthen these relations even more?
– Indeed, as you rightly noted, Azerbaijan–Poland relations are very good, and these ties have historically been very strong. Allow me to recall Polish architects, and engineers who left their mark on the history of Baku. Their heritage forms the background of our relations, which helps to continuously develop cooperation between our countries.
The tools at our disposal are the classic instruments of diplomacy — consultations, reciprocal visits, and meetings at various levels. I believe we can make more effective use of these opportunities. Properly utilizing the existing mechanisms and further intensifying high-level contacts are among my priorities. I think there is room for further development in this area.
On the other hand, the economic dimension of our relations deserves more attention. There is significant untapped potential in this field.
There are undoubtedly opportunities on both sides for stronger cooperation
- How do you assess the current economic relations, and how do you see the opportunities for increasing trade turnover?
- Our trade relations are currently solid; however, there are undoubtedly opportunities on both sides for stronger cooperation. There is potential not only in trade, but also in terms of investments and the mutual expansion of business structures. From Polish perspective there are several priority areas: renewable energy sources and GreenTech, smart cities and infrastructure, agriculture and food processing, transport and logistics.
Our Embassy strives to draw the attention of Polish businesses to the opportunities available in Azerbaijan across various sectors. We support our entrepreneurs and companies in discovering these opportunities, exploring them more closely, and coming to Azerbaijan to present their products and services. Of course we have crucially important intergovernmental mechanism in place. The Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation is actively functioning. Its last meeting was held in November of last year in Warsaw and proved to be highly productive. We hope that the next session will take place in Baku in the near future. The meeting held in Warsaw was accompanied by a business forum, which served as a platform for direct contacts between business communities. I hope that this format will soon be repeated in Baku as well.
It is natural for Polish businesses to seek opportunities to become part of this major project
Are Polish companies interested in participating in the reconstruction process of Azerbaijan’s liberated territories?
- There is considerable interest on the Polish side. We understand how significant the reconstruction of Karabakh is for Azerbaijan and its government, both in terms of scale and strategic importance. Large-scale investments and infrastructure projects are already being implemented. In this context, it is natural for Polish businesses to seek opportunities to become part of this major project. Even if so far our companies do not participate in any specific project we will continue our efforts in this direction.
An increasing number of European Union member states are purchasing natural gas and oil from Azerbaijan
- How does Warsaw assess Azerbaijan’s role in ensuring the European Union’s energy security?
- We view the South Caucasus as a very important part of the global energy resources system. I believe that the importance of Azerbaijan, and of the region as a whole, has become even more evident since the start of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2022. The issue of secure corridors and safe transportation routes is of key importance here. An increasing number of European Union member states are purchasing natural gas and oil from Azerbaijan. I believe this trend will continue to strengthen, as there is a need for diversification of sources of energy.
Allow me to add one more point — the issue of “green energy.” We are following with great interest how seriously Azerbaijan is investing in this field. In Poland and across the European Union, there is significant interest in the development of this direction. Therefore, I believe that the prospects for our cooperation in this area are quite substantial.
Poland's security is closely linked to Ukraine’s security
- You mentioned the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on Europe’s energy security. The Russia–Ukraine war has affected both Europe’s security and the state of collective security as a whole. What steps is Poland taking to ensure its national security?
- Yes, undoubtedly, our security is closely linked to Ukraine’s security. As we commemorated few days ago the fourth anniversary of Russia’s barbaric aggression against Ukraine, let me express our deep gratitude to the Ukrainian people for courageously defending their country while at the same time protecting Europe’s security.
Not only Poland, but all of Europe should be grateful to Ukraine for their unmeasurable sacrifice, the sons and daughters it has lost on the battlefield. Supporting Ukraine is our moral duty. At the same time, we do so in our own interest. By supporting Ukraine, we are also supporting the security and stability of our own country.
How do we do this? By providing support in various forms: through military assistance, the supply of equipment, and training programs.
Poland is taking a number of very concrete and practical steps to strengthen Europe’s security. Let us take a look at the financial aspect. We currently allocate 4,8 percent of our GDP to defense spending. This is one of the highest levels among NATO countries.
We are making serious investments in the security of Poland’s eastern border. We have a major defense barrier program called the “Eastern Shield.” This program includes various types of defensive measures, including anti-drone, anti-tank, and counter-surveillance systems. In other words, it is a very complex and large-scale investment project that is currently being implemented. We have also increased the number of personnel serving in the army and are modernizing our armed forces. All of these are long-term, serious measures that require substantial financial resources. At the same time, within the framework of NATO and the European Union, we actively promote higher defense spending, further modernization of the armed forces, and, overall, the strengthening of Europe’s defense potential.
Allow me to mention one specific and very important example. During Poland’s Presidency of the European Union in 2025, the EU adopted a program called “SAFE.”
“SAFE” stands for “Security Action for Europe.” This program envisions a credit mechanism worth €150 billion, offering EU countries long term financing on very favorable terms. Poland will receive approximately €44 billion from this €150 billion. This is a very significant amount, and we will use these resources over the long term for a large-scale modernization process. We can implement this together with our partners—not only with EU partners but also with Ukraine. This is a very important and concrete step toward becoming a more reliable partner, particularly for key allies such as the United States.
- Let’s return from the Russia–Ukraine war to the South Caucasus. I would like to hear your thoughts on the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
-Poland welcomes the successfully progressing peace process with great satisfaction.
We believe that the summit held in Washington on August 8 last year was a major success for President Aliyev, for Prime Minister Pashinyan, and for both peoples. We are confident that peace in the South Caucasus opens completely new opportunities and prospects for development, both in terms of regional cooperation and in expanding ties and collaboration with Europe. I believe we are already beginning to see the benefits arising from the stabilization and normalization of relations with Armenia. Currently, discussions are underway regarding broad EU participation in the reconstruction of the section of the Middle Corridor passing through Nakhchivan. This is just one example of what we can accomplish together in a region where peace and stability prevail.
