Life punishes those who come too late
The EU should immediately impose a temporary embargo on Russian energy imports. If the union waits any longer, it will be too late – and the political costs will be huge
Experts & Staff
Piotr Buras
Head, ECFR Warsaw
Senior Policy Fellow
Areas of expertise
Germany's EU and foreign policy; Poland in the EU; EU politics
Languages
Polish, German, English
Biography
Piotr Buras is the head of ECFR’s Warsaw office and a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. His topics of focus include Germany’s EU and foreign policy, Poland in the EU, and EU politics.
Buras is a journalist, author and expert on German and European politics. Between 2008 and 2012 he worked as a columnist and Berlin correspondent for Gazeta Wyborcza, the biggest Polish daily newspaper. He started his professional career in the late 1990s at the Center for International Relations in Warsaw, one of the first Polish think-tanks. He continued his career at the Institute for German Studies at the University of Birmingham and at the University of Wroclaw (Poland). He was also a visiting fellow at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik in Berlin. His recent book Moslems and the Other Germans. The Reinvention of the Berlin Republic was published in Polish in 2011.
Views from the capitals: Russia’s war on Ukraine
The conflict in Ukraine will change Europe forever. Experts from across ECFR’s network of offices describe the view of the war from Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Sofia, and Warsaw
Why the EU’s rule of law mechanism won’t resolve its democratic crisis
It is crucial for the European Commission to resolutely defend the rule of law. If it settles for a rotten compromise with Warsaw, there will be a risk of legal chaos in the EU
Olaf Scholz: Tweeting on thin ice
The measure of Germany’s credibility is not only in polite compliance with the geopolitical course set by the US. It also lies in actively shaping this course and leading the EU in a responsible manner
The EU’s unforgivable failure
The EU should respond to the Russian threat to Ukraine by making use of its main strength – economic influence. There is no other way for the union to persuade the great powers struggling over Europe’s future that it is a force to be reckoned with
Asia
China-Russia – Strategic alignment or alliance in the making?
This panel is part of the annual Japan-Europe Core Group Warsaw 2022 on “The Future of Russia-China Relations – Implications for European and Japanese Foreign Policy
7
Dec
European Power
The European Green Deal: A recipe for development or a source of conflict?
The green transition is vital to Europe’s future. Rebuilding economies to achieve climate neutrality is essential not only to avoid a catastrophe but also to maintain the state’s capacity to meet social and individual needs at a level that ensures a high quality of life. The need for action on climate protection is widely…
How the German “traffic light” coalition can solve the EU border crisis
Germany’s new government could defuse the conflict between Poland and Belarus by demonstrating greater toughness on Lukashenka and showing willingness to accept a limited number of migrants. And the EU should be ready to use its most effective weapon: trade
Autocratic power grab is no defence of sovereignty
The Polish prime minister has dismissed the dispute between Poland and the EU as a difference of opinion over competences. This is nonsense: the rule of law is at stake
8
Nov
Migration crisis on the EU Eastern border: how the EU can protect borders and human rights
Since summer 2021, Poland and Lithuania have been confronted with an unprecedented action by the Lukashenko regime, which aims to exert political pressure on both countries and the European Union. Minsk is using migrants from third countries to create the impression of a refugee crisis, internal destabilisation and deepening divisions. Despite worsening weather…
Publications
The new climate battle: Five deals to recharge the green transition
As climate policy becomes increasingly contested, Europe must adapt its Green Deal to a new political era. The first policy brief in the New Politics project outlines five new deals to make the transition more durable, popular and politically resilient
The interest of values: The EU’s democracy promotion in the Western Balkans and the eastern neighbourhood
With EU enlargement back on the agenda, democracy promotion in candidate countries is a key geopolitical interest for the bloc. The EU’s previous efforts to promote democracy in the Western Balkans and eastern neighbourhood may hold valuable lessons for the years ahead
Catch-27: The contradictory thinking about enlargement in the EU
A new power audit of member states’ positions on EU enlargement shows broad agreement that it is a geopolitical necessity, but major disagreements about how to prepare the EU. To make credible progress, EU member states need to agree on a roadmap that addresses their conflicting concerns at the European Council meeting in December
Survive and thrive: A European plan to support Ukraine in the long war against Russia
To signal their commitment to Ukraine, Europeans should agree a ‘long-war plan’ of assistance against Russian aggression. This would include a ‘security compact,’ security assurances, and economic and energy support
Partnership for Enlargement: A new way to integrate Ukraine and the EU’s eastern neighbourhood
Russia’s war on Ukraine means the EU must devise a new approach to its neighbourhood. It should establish a Partnership for Enlargement that offers Ukraine and other states concrete steps towards deeper integration
Beyond Merkelism: What Europeans expect of post-election Germany
Paradoxically, to fulfil many Europeans’ expectations, Berlin will need to revise the principles of Merkelism that created this trust
Health sovereignty: How to build a resilient European response to pandemics
Europe must improve its early warning systems, supply chain resilience, medical R&D, and cyber security and technology, to act decisively in future emergencies
Divided at the centre: Germany, Poland, and the troubles of the Trump era
Introduction For most Europeans, it is now obvious that the foreign policy of US President Donald Trump threatens the global liberal order. Trump’s hostility towards…
Europe and its discontents: Poland’s collision course with the European Union
If Poland continues to drift away from the EU it will not only diminish its own influence, but also undermine the EU’s internal cohesion
After Tusk: Poland in Europe
Poland needs to reassert itself in Europe
Articles
How splits on the right may threaten Poland’s pro-European camp
More than 40 MPs have walked out of Law and Justice, Poland’s largest opposition party, and will court centre-right voters who put Donald Tusk in power in 2023. To win them back, Tusk should make the European argument he has spent years avoiding
Magyar’s mandate: Six insights from a post-election Hungary
ECFR polling reveals that Peter Magyar’s mandate is far more complicated than EU leaders were hoping for: voters want domestic repair first, are split on Ukraine, and increasingly reluctant to ditch Russian energy
The morning after: Lessons from Poland for a post-Orban Hungary
Hungarians have a new leader who promises to heal the country after 16 years of democratic backsliding. Lessons from the Polish experience suggest this is easier said than done
Why Orban and Hungary are not one and the same
ECFR’s new public opinion polling reveals most Hungarians do not share Orban’s views on Hungary’s place in the world. If the opposition wins the election on April 12th, the new government will have a mandate to reorientate the country’s foreign policy towards Europe
The prodigal power: How Poland could make a diplomatic comeback
Once Europe’s Ukraine champion, Poland now grapples with diplomatic sidelining, stemming from domestic infighting and war fatigue. However, the premier’s recovering popularity hints at a comeback
After Novi Sad: How the EU can help Serbia resurrect its democratic path
Serbia’s young people are making their dissatisfaction with Aleksandar Vucic’s corrupt government known. The EU should consider freezing Serbia’s accession negotiations and support the country’s return to democratic fundamentals
New protagonists: Why the EU’s future will be decided in central Europe
Poland has taken over presidency of the EU Council. Donald Tusk’s approach to Europe could not be less aligned with his predecessor, Viktor Orban; the new ideological struggle playing out in central Europe may define the continent’s future
Tusk’s asylum coup: Breaking away from populist narratives
Donald Tusk’s announcement of a temporary suspension of the right to asylum is primarily a PR move that will yield limited impact in Poland. But it may encourage the EU to rethink the unsustainable current asylum system
The long shadow of the populists: Donald Tusk’s first 100 days
It is easier to defeat populists than to unravel the system they have built
Letting Ukraine into the EU will reinforce, not undermine, Europe’s security
Many Europeans fail to realise that EU enlargement is the only way to counter Russia and China – but this week, leaders must act
Podcasts
Europe, Trump and the war in Iran
Mark Leonard welcomes Piotr Buras, Carla Hobbs, Camille Lons, Jana Puglierin and Arturo Varvelli to discuss how Europe is responding to the war in Iran
Nawrocki’s win: What Poland’s populist president means for Europe
Mark Leonard welcomes Piotr Buras to unpack Poland’s knife-edge presidential election—and what the result means for Europe
Liberal tides, populist currents: Elections in Poland and Romania
Mark Leonard welcomes Piotr Buras to unpack the Polish and Romanian elections and their implications for Europe’s liberal future
Trump’s shadow: Reshaping politics and policy across Europe
Mark Leonard welcomes ECFR experts to unpack how Donald Trump’s presidency is reshaping Europe’s domestic politics and foreign policy
Nuclear rhetoric: Merz, Tusk and the future of deterrence
Mark Leonard welcomes Piotr Buras to unpack a weekend of geopolitical developments and controversies on Europe’s defence and nuclear dependence on the US
German elections: Impact and implications for Europe
Mark Leonard welcomes Searching for Deutschland co-hosts Jeremy Cliffe and Jana Puglierin, and ECFR colleagues Piotr Buras and Marie Dumoulin, to discuss the impact of Germany’s federal election on the country and beyond
What comes next: European discord or European leadership?
The final episode of Searching for Deutschland—a special crossover with the World in 30 Minutes—sees experts from Berlin, London, Paris and Warsaw break down…
Poland’s presidency: A new European leadership
Mark Leonard welcomes Joanna Bekker, Piotr Buras, and Marta Prochwicz Jazowska to discuss Poland’s presidency of the EU Council at a time of geopolitical uncertainty
What Trump’s election means for Europe
Mark Leonard welcomes Célia Belin, Piotr Buras, Anna Kuchenbecker, Maria Simeonova, and Arturo Varvelli to discuss what the outcome of the US election means for Europe
Europe is shifting: EU election results could divide Europe
In this new episode, Vessela Tcherneva welcomes head of ECFR offices to discuss national implications of the EU elections
Events
European Power
Warsaw European Conversation 2026
Polityka Insight and ECFR Warsaw invite you to join us for the livestream of this year’s Warsaw European Conversation. When Europe was planning its 2021–2027 budget back in 2019, hardly anyone had heard of COVID-19, few could have imagined a full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine, and Donald Trump was defending himself against…
23
Mar
European Power
The New Right: Anatomy of a Global Revolution
As European and German politics are being reshaped by electoral volatility, fragmented party systems, and the continued rise of populist forces, we are delighted to invite you to a public debate on “The New Right: Anatomy of a Global Revolution.” In the aftermath of the important regional elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate,…
European Power
A pivotal choice: Poland’s presidential election and the future of Europe’s foreign policy and defence agenda
The final round of the Polish presidential election of 1 June 2025 is a milestone for Poland and for Europe. The close race between pro-European Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, and Karol Nawrocki, backed by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, crystallizes two of the biggest challenges facing the European Union (EU) at…
European Power
Warsaw European Conversation
Polityka Insight and ECFR invite you to join us for the livestream of this year’s Warsaw European Conversation. At Polityka Insight and ECFR, we believe there is an urgent need to engage in a critical conversation about the risks and trends shaping the European project. For this reason, we invite you to join forces, and participate…
European Power
Bridging expectations: The EU’s vision for 2025 and the role of the Polish presidency
On 4 December 2024 Polityka Insight and the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) organised an event in Brussels focused on the priorities of the Polish EU Presidency. The event aimed to present and discuss Poland’s key objectives and plans for its EU Presidency term. It also served as a prelude to our annual…
European Power
Geopolitics of Enlargement: Ukraine Strategy
This webinar will discuss current revisions of the EU approach to enlargement policy and the security implications for Ukraine and the neighborhoods
6
Mar
European Power
United West, divided from the rest? Come europei, cinesi, indiani, russi ed americani guardano alla guerra
Nell’attuale contesto internazionale, le relazioni dell’Europa con le potenze globali stanno cambiando rapidamente, e la loro evoluzione rappresenta un elemento di analisi ineludibile nel delineare la strategia di politica estera dell’UE
8
Nov
The role of Germany in Europe in times of war: Potential for German-Bulgarian cooperation
We will discuss Germany’s role in Europe and will reflect on how the new European order is viewed in Berlin
28
Apr
Bezpieczeństwo energetyczne Polski i Unii Europejskiej: zmiana paradygmatu
Agresja Rosji na Ukrainę zburzyła podstawy gospodarczych i strategicznych stosunków Unii Europejskiej z Rosją, które do tej pory w dużej mierze opierały się na handlu paliwami kopalnymi. Wojna pokazała jak bardzo zależność od Rosji ogranicza pole manewru Unii Europejski w polityce wobec Rosji i sprawiła, że głęboka redefinicja polityki energetycznej uznana została za palącą…
Wider Europe
Europe and the refugee crisis: what needs to be done
What instruments does the EU have at its disposal to address the challenges related to the crisis? And what are the lessons learned from the refugee crisis in 2015?
In the media
Piotr Buras on the increasing tensions between Poland and Ukraine
Piotr Buras op-ed on the Polish-German relations
Piotr Buras on the state of the Polish foreign policy
Piotr Buras comments on the St Petersbourg Forum
Piotr Buras on the St Petersbourg Economic Forum