After informal 'coffees,' Minister Sikorski comes to breakfast
| Washington
Radoslaw 鈥淩adek鈥� Sikorski and the Monitor go back several years. As a prominent Polish politician with ties to Washington, he would appear at informal 鈥渃offees鈥� I hosted with reporters to discuss European affairs 鈥� a topic that took on added urgency after Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine.
Now, Mr. Sikorski is again Poland鈥檚 foreign minister. Last week, he traveled here with the Polish president and prime minister for a meeting with President Joe Biden and congressional leaders, urging additional military aid to Ukraine. I grabbed that opportunity to organize a Monitor Breakfast on March 12, and he did not disappoint.
Educated at Oxford University, Mr. Sikorski has a pungent way of expressing himself. Back in 2019, when we first met, he spoke optimistically of the European Union post-Brexit: 鈥淭he corpse seems pretty lively,鈥� he said,听
At this week鈥檚 well-attended breakfast, Mr. Sikorski made news, and was widely quoted in major media 鈥� from听听迟辞听听迟辞听听For the Monitor's coverage of the breakfast,听听please click here.听
Our听听of the event also garnered attention 鈥� tens of thousands of views 鈥� no doubt aided by my friend Marek Walkuski of Polish Radio, who has a wide following on social media.听
The most watched part of the video, recorded by Monitor fellow Troy Aidan Sambajon, came at the when Mr. Sikorski said: 鈥淚f Ukraine wins this war, which they can and should, they鈥檒l have one of the strongest armies in Europe and they鈥檒l be training us.鈥�
I highly recommend watching the whole video. But I have to admit, Mr. Sikorski was holding back just a tad. When asked about the possibility of former President Donald Trump鈥檚 return to power, he demurred.
鈥淭hank you for this invitation to interfere in the internal affairs of our biggest ally,鈥� he said to laughter.
鈥淏ut are you concerned?鈥� I pressed. Mr. Trump听听and has suggested听听to any NATO member that doesn鈥檛 spend enough on defense.
鈥淲hen I was a member of the European Parliament, I would have boldly entered that arena,鈥� Mr. Sikorski said, alluding to all our free-wheeling coffees. 鈥淏ut as foreign minister, I鈥檒l pass.鈥�
