The Ditchley Foundation Annual Lecture LX

The Ditchley Foundation's 60th Annual Lecture was delivered by The Hon. Radosław Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Poland, in which he offered a warning regarding current geopolitical dangers. 

Minister Sikorski drew a parallel between the West’s present complacency towards the conflict in Ukraine and the blissful ignorance that settled across Poland in the summer of 1939, prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. He argued that authoritarian states, emboldened by the West's failure to protect Ukraine, may seek to regain control over what they view as their rightful territory. He also expressed concern that foundational international institutions may lose credibility, further shrinking the space for diplomatic solutions. 

In addressing these dangers, the Minister made several suggestions, including ramping up defence production, getting serious about sanctions, being more political in development assistance, and being on the offensive in the information war. 

The Minister concluded by reminding the audience that the Republic of Poland and the United Kingdom share a vision for the world, based on international law, peace and stability.

For the full transcript and recording of the Lecture click here.