Poland and Belaruś 26 Years After the Signing of the Treaty on Good Neighbourhood and Friendly Gooperation

Poland and Belarus are neighbours, and this obligates them to cooperate. The Treaty on Good Neighbourhood and Friendly Cooperation the two countries signed in 1992 constituted a legal basis for cooperation between them after the collapse of the bipolar world order. Polish-Belarusian relations have been and continue to be dynamic in nature, but are most often described as difficult due to the divergent paths of development taken by the two states. The first period covers the years 1991–1995, during which time political, economic and military cooperation was intensive. The second period covers the years 1996–2007. Belarus changed its foreign policy priorities, opting for integration with Russia. The third period covers the years 2008–2011, which was characterised by Belarus seeking to affect a rapprochement with the European Union. The final period of Polish-Belarusian relations is after 2011.