The Weimar Triangle at 30 Prospects for Cooperation

The trilateral cooperation forum among France, Germany and Poland – the Weimar Triangle – celebrates the 30th anniversary this year. Since the Brexit referendum in 2016, there have been growing calls to revive and intensify cooperation among the three continental European partners, in light of the need to reinforce leadership, cohesion and unity within the EU. Rising security threats at EU borders combined with a return of great power competition adds to the rationale of working together within the Triangle to strengthen Europe’s response to these challenges. At the same time, substantive policy differences among France, Germany and Poland are real and numerous. Whether it comes to threat perceptions, transatlantic partnership, relations with Russia, or EU Common Security and Defense Policy, Paris, Berlin and Warsaw do not see eye to eye. Does the Weimar Triangle have a potential to become a driving force for EU security and defense cooperation?