Poland’s foreign policy divided as president, prime minister clash

An analysis by POLITICO uncovers how a growing power struggle between President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk is undermining Poland’s role in Europe at a critical moment for Ukraine and the EU.

According to the article, Poland was notably absent from a White House crisis meeting on Ukraine that gathered top European leaders. Instead, President Nawrocki will travel to Washington on September 3 to meet US President Donald Trump, who openly campaigned for him during this year’s Polish election.

The visit has angered Prime Minister Tusk, who emphasised that “under the Polish constitution it’s the government led by the prime minister that sets Polish foreign policy.”

“It will probably take some time for the president’s office to get up to speed, to fully understand the rules of the game and the consequences of the constitutional provisions. I will patiently explain and inform them what such cooperation should look like," he added. 

Nawrocki’s camp rejects this interpretation. His spokesperson dismissed the foreign ministry’s briefing for the Washington trip as a “joke,” while PiS MP Radosław Fogiel told POLITICO: “The government’s approach is reductionist. They see the president as merely putting a face to policy… The president, as the state’s representative, cannot be limited to a government spokesperson role.”

The foreign ministry insists otherwise. As quoted by POLITICO, spokesperson Paweł Wroński said: “The president represents Poland but presents the position of the state, which is the position of the government, even if he disagrees with it. There cannot be two foreign policies for one state.”

Broader battle for control

POLITICO notes that this conflict reflects a wider contest over who rules Poland. Tusk, who returned to office in December 2023 after defeating the Law and Justice (PiS) party, quickly restored ties with Brussels and secured the release of frozen EU funds. His government also earned recognition for boosting defense spending and managing a strong economy.

But Nawrocki, elected in June with PiS support, has used his veto repeatedly and sought influence over major domestic projects. Internationally, his first trip abroad — to Washington — highlights both the centrality of US-Polish relations and his personal alignment with Trump.

“Nawrocki and Trump will hold bilateral discussions, not only about Ukraine but also about Poland’s security,” the president’s aide Marcin Przydacz said.

Ukraine and refugee tensions

Domestic rivalry is also straining Warsaw’s relationship with Kyiv. Nawrocki vetoed a bill extending aid for Ukrainian refugees, arguing it put them ahead of Poles in accessing benefits and health care. The move halted Polish funding of Ukraine’s Starlink satellite internet.

“This is the end of Starlink internet, which Poland provides to Ukraine,” Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski wrote on social media, accusing the president of “hurting people who are fighting for their independence and at the same time helping Russia.”

Nawrocki insists Poland’s stance on Ukraine’s defense remains unchanged and has proposed his own aid bill, but the article notes that parliament — controlled by Tusk’s coalition — is unlikely to pass it. The government says it will introduce legislation to restore Starlink funding at the next session.

Poland’s internal political struggle risks sidelining the country just as Paris and Berlin strengthen ties independently and as Europe faces unprecedented security challenges. What was once a period of influence for Warsaw in European foreign policy is now at risk of being consumed by domestic rivalry between its two most powerful leaders.

By Sabina Mammadli