The January 2025 edition of the IRMO Brief, authored by Tomasz Zając, deals with the Polish Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2025. On 1st January Poland has assumed the helm of the EU Council for the second time, and during it the country’s crucial presidential election will take place on 18th May. Poland’s EU Presidency is faced with high expectations, as the previous Hungarian rotating presidency of the EU was restrained with many obstacles. The official slogan of the presidency is “Security, Europe!” and it addresses seven key aspects of it: military, economic, energy, information, food, health and civilian, that includes border protection. As a staunch supporter of Ukraine, Poland will pursue EU involvement in financing of defense infrastructure on its eastern border, within the framework of East Shield or the Baltic Defense Line. The author also analyzes how Poland will place itself in the possible redefinition of transatlantic relations after the inauguration of Donald Trump.
