EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Warsaw

The upcoming NATO summit, sanctions against Russia and the Eastern Partnership programme are some of the key topics on the agenda of meetings with President Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Beata Szydło and Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski.

Mogherini's official visit opens with talks with the Polish head of state. The discussion is to be centered on collaboration between the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance within the framework of the NATO summit in July.

"The president would like Brussels to declare its readiness to join forces with the Alliance on countering hybrid threats," Krzysztof Szczerski, a senior foreign affairs advisor to the president, told news agency PAP ahead of the visit.

Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski, meanwhile, is looking to discuss the EU Global Policy − a blueprint for the bloc's future actions on the global arena, currently being prepared by the European foreign affairs chief.

Waszczykowski will touch on the EU's relations with Moscow and the topic of sanctions against Russia. The 28-nation bloc is still to decide whether to extend sanctions targeting the country's financial, energy and defence sectors, first imposed in 2014 in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and Moscow's backing for separatist rebels in Ukraine.

Key topics to be discussed with Prime Minister Beata Szydło include security issues, the EU's Eastern Partnership programme and developments in war-torn Syria.

The trip marks Federica Mogherini's second visit to Warsaw since taking office in November 2014. (aba/pk)

Source: IAR, PAP