During the Fall Break, the International Policy Associates (IPAs)—LISDs selective group of undergraduate pre-professional foreign policy fellows—traveled to Warsaw, Gdańsk, and Kraków to investigate recent and contemporary Polish politics. In meetings with top politicians and key stakeholders across government, the private sector, think tanks, academia, civil society, and the media, the undergraduate delegation held comprehensive and detailed conversations on two pivotal global issues: the nation’s transition back to fully democratic governance and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
After introductory cultural, artistic and historical tours, they were welcomed at a dinner at the residence of Piotr Eliasz PhD *05. They then dove into high-profile meetings, starting with the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski—a possible candidate for President in upcoming elections—who spoke about Poland’s political landscape, the city's response to the influx of Ukrainian migrants, and Warsaw’s green initiatives. They met with Minister of Justice Adam Bodnar, where the discussion focused on the state of Polish democracy, the country’s relations with the European Union, and the current challenges facing the Polish judiciary. For specific insights into Poland’s economic landscape, trade, and investment the IPAs spoke with senior officials at the Polish National Development Bank, Google Poland, and Ernst and Young (EY) Poland, the last of which included Jan Krzysztof Bielecki, former Prime Minister of Poland and current Chairman of the Partners Board at EY Poland.
Over the following days in Warsaw, the delegation held extended and in-depth discussions on Poland’s relations within the European Union, NATO and Russia’s war in Ukraine. Interlocutors included Member of Parliament and Polish envoy for Ukraine’s Reconstruction Pawel Kowal, Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski, the U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski, and a select group of top foreign correspondents. Students attended a tumultuous session of the Polish Parliament on the first anniversary of the 2023 elections, in which the opposition walked out on passionate speech by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
A highlight in Warsaw was the hour-long conversation with President Andrzej Duda, who has made significant internal and external decisions over the past nine years—and remains a prominent and controversial force in Polish politics. The IPAs spent additional time at the Presidential Palace for more detailed policy discussions with President Duda’s National Security, Foreign Policy and Business Environment advisors.
Reflecting on the experience, IPA Noah Eshaghpour-Silberman ‘26 said “Understanding the significant challenges facing Polish and NATO security up close at this pivotal time in Europe and the United States was a one-of-a-kind opportunity that only LISD made happen through my time at Princeton”.
In the northern port city of Gdańsk, IPAs met with Lech Wałęsa, leader of the Solidarity movement and Poland’s first democratically elected President—and a legendary figure in modern Poland. IPAs also explored Gdańsk’s role as a regional innovation center, visited with the leadership of Intel and Boeing, and met Deputy Mayor Piotr Borawski and executives at the Port of Gdańsk and the Baltic Hub.
The final part of the trip in Kraków underscored the potential consequences of authoritarianism and aggression. After exploring Kraków’s historic old town, the IPAs visited the former Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz and former crematorium at Birkenau. Aniela Pramik ‘11 joined the IPAs for a closing dinner in Kazimierz, Kraków’s historic Jewish quarter.
Prof. Andrew Moravcsik, LISD and EU Program Director summarized the experience: “I have never been involved in a trip—whether for students or seasoned professionals—with such rich and substantively meaningful access to the very top decision-makers in a major country. Most of our interlocutors were amazed at LISD’s success in fashioning such a program—and, above all, at our students’ careful preparation and informed questioning.”
In addition to Prof. Moravcsik, the trip was co-led by LISD Executive Director Nadia Crisan and Princeton SPIA Senior Research Scholar Dr. Sophie Meunier, supported by IPA Program Coordinator Jana-Alessa Peper and LISD Non-Resident Fellow Dr. Maciej Kisilowski ‘08 ensuring the visit’s success.
With contributions from International Policy Associate Julian Hartman-Sigall ’26.