The authors of Polish foreign policy after 1989 faced serious challenges. As the newly-achieved independence and freedom were being relished, bringing the promise of establishing a sovereign foreign policy, the prospects for ‘curbing’ this freedom or renouncing the recently found sovereignty in favour of the European Union were looming large. Since 1989 Polish foreign policy has made a breakthrough freeing itself from the discipline of the Eastern block and choosing the interdependence associated with Euro- Atlantic structures – which although impose their standards but do not restrict a state’s domestic and foreign activity. So, thanks to Poland’s membership in the EU and NATO it was possible to bring together sovereignty with a strategic westward orientation Yet, it must be added that the current discourse lacks common agreement in this regard. Poland’s internal ability to act and the international context preclude its ability to guarantee external security or create favourable conditions in which to develop on its own. To counteract this situation a stable, effective and responsible foreign policy must be pursued, in fact it becomes imperative to do so. The appropriate implementation of foreign policy requires a number of conditions: political stability, an internal political consensus on strategic goals and direction, the safeguarding of appropriate funds for policy-realisation and tapping into the intellectual potential of Polish universities. Only by increasing the internal capacity to act (materially and ideologically) can Polish foreign policy become effective. The discourse on foreign affairs should serve this very purpose: it should provide a rational definition of the outside world and thus, determine the methods of action consistent with this. Polish diplomacy needs such a strategy for our EU membership that would harmonise the interests of the Community with those of Poland, and one that would strengthen our position in other areas of foreign policy, and in particular in the Eastern dimension. A good relationship with the USA is necessary; it could boost Poland’s position in the EU and beyond. All this is possible under the assumption that the principal decision makers in Polish foreign policy avoid the competition between European and Atlantic loyalty and refrain from turning foreign policy into a platform for fighting over power.