Poland

People walk in front of a large concrete and glass building with large columns and windows lit up under a darkened sky, maybe dusk or dawn. Four flags fly from the top of the building, at least two of them the flags of Poland, the others in shadow.

Planning for America’s Democratic Renewal Must Start Now: Lessons from Poland

Poland’s recovery from democratic backsliding shows how hard the process can be -- and why U.S. reformers should start planning now for lawful, durable renewal.

May 26, 2026 Mieczysław (Mietek) Boduszyński and Laura Thornton

A protester shouts slogans and gestures by a picture of Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro stuck on wheelbarrow, as a symbol of dismissal, during a demonstration in front of the Polish Parliament as Polish Senators decide about new bill changing the judiciary system, in Warsaw, on July 21, 2017 (Photo by WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

If President Trump is Concerned With the Entry of “Criminal Aliens,” Why Is the U.S. Welcoming Corrupt Foreign Officials?

A former justice minister from Poland who is wanted there on abuse of power charges has somehow turned up in the United States.

May 15, 2026 Melissa Hooper

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L)

Roosevelt’s Weak Hand and Trump’s Strong One in Eastern and Central Europe: Will Trump Play His Good Cards?

While President Trump hasn't fully sided with Putin, he hasn't used his favorable strategic position as history shows he could to end Russia's war on Ukraine.

Oct. 22, 2025 Ambassador Daniel Fried

The frame of the photo is filled with a tightly packed crowd of judges in black robes and purple, blue, or fuscia neck ruffles, alongside members of the public. Polish, EU and other flags can be seen above them in the background, apparently carried by marchers.

Attacks on U.S. Legal Profession Reflect Global Slide in Countries It Once Aided

Political pressures like those used to silence legal professionals and undermine rule of law in Europe and Eurasia echo patterns of the autocratic playbook.

Oct. 13, 2025 Jasmine D. Cameron, Fernanda G. Nicola and 1 more

A NATO AWACS Tactical Director assesses the air and surface situation aboard an AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) NATO air surveillance aircraft during a flight over Polish airspace as part of the alliance's new Eastern Sentry mission on September 19, 2025. NATO said on September 19, 2025, it had scrambled aircraft to intercept Russian jets violating Estonian airspace, calling it proof of Moscow's "reckless" behaviour and the alliance's readiness to counter it. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP) (Photo by JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)

Legally Available Options in Response to Russia’s Penetrations of NATO Airspace

"International law, in its wisdom, makes such options legally available."

Sep. 29, 2025 Michael Schmitt

Big Tents and Collective Action Can Defeat Authoritarianism

The journey from individual angst to collective action and shared humanity takes time, vision, and commitment. Cases around the world show it is also the pathway to victory.

Jun. 3, 2025 Maria J. Stephan

The image shows a crowd of people in front of buildings in the background, apparently holding up a giant green, yellow and blue Brazilian flag in the foreground.

Lessons from Around the World: Engaging ‘Pillars of Support’ to Uphold and Expand Democracy

Cross-partisan movements that defeated far-right autocrats in Brazil and Poland demonstrate that crucial groups can propel democratic success.

Oct. 9, 2024 Maria J. Stephan

The episode title appears with sound waves behind it.

The Just Security Podcast NATO’s Washington Summit: Russia’s War on Ukraine Tests Alliance

Joining the show to discuss this year’s NATO summit and unpack its implications is Ambassador Daniel Fried.

Jul. 12, 2024 Ambassador Daniel Fried, Viola Gienger and 1 more

At the NATO Summit, Strategy and Politics in Play

The agenda has more than the usual weight attached to it while war rages in Europe and amid the US political dynamic.

Jul. 9, 2024 Ambassador Daniel Fried

Migrants are brought into Dover Port in England by Border Force officials after being picked up in the English Channel while trying to make the journey from France in inflatable dinghies on March 4, 2024. One man in a yellow vest is seen carrying a boy. Migrants continue to cross the Channel after a seven-year-old girl died after getting into difficulties in French waters over the previous weekend. Approximately 150 people arrived on March 4, although official figures were to come out the following day. Home Office figures show that more than 2,000 migrants had arrived in the UK thus far this year, with difficult weather conditions the likely cause of the relatively low numbers. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Did Macron and Tusk Just Chart a Path for Liberals Elsewhere on Immigration?

Countries will be better off with measured limits than with far-right demagogues in power or a total capitulation to anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Mar. 18, 2024 Leo Greenberg

Nine Stories That Deserved More Attention in 2023 – and That May Shape 2024

What stories or topics merited more attention in 2023, with a particular eye toward what might inform law and policy conversations in 2024?

Dec. 29, 2023 Megan Corrarino

The leader of Civic Coalition (KO), Donald Tusk addresses voters and lawmakers from the podium in the parliament after receiving a majority of the chamber's votes to be the next prime minister during a parliamentary session on Dec. 11, 2023 in Warsaw, Poland. His coalition of opposition parties won a majority in October's general election, ending eight years of rule by the Law and Justice (PiS) party. (Photo by Omar Marques/Getty Images)

Poland’s New Government Will Face Hurdles to Restore Rule of Law and Judicial Independence

In addition to reversing the previous ruling party's damage, changes should reinforce the longevity of vital institutions going forward.

Dec. 12, 2023 Jasmine D. Cameron, Judge Dariusz Mazur and 1 more