Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite began official visit to Poland on August 28.  The President will meet with Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

For almost a decade Poland was regarded as a strategic Lithuania’s partner.  President Adamkus chosen Poland for his first official foreign visits before.  The President Kaczynski has visited Lithuania numerous times also.

This ‘strategic partnership’ was mostly based on a good personal relationship between the two presidents, common views on Russian and American role in Europe.  The both presidents were active in promoting democracy in the post Soviet space and in constantly criticising Russia.  In addition Presidents Kaczynski and Adamkus were united in their favouritism towards the USA.

Still, this partnership was somehow without substance and remained on the level of declarations, which emphasised on ‘strategic’.  Nonetheless, it was much more difficult to materialise this relationship into concrete projects.  Only ‘Mazeikiu Nafta’ refinery’s deal after which the Polish PKN Orlen managed to buy it could be regarded as a successful Lithuanian/Polish adventure.  However, the other projects have been ongoing for many years without any results.

One of them is the power grid uniting Lithuania and Poland.  Even though there are some signs of movement but overall it is clear that LitPol Link will be a century project, as it might take a hundred years to complete.  It is also uncertain if Poland is still interested in remaining in the New Nuclear Plant Project.  This visit should answer to this question.  However, it needs to be said that Warsaw could not be blamed in hesitating since Vilnius is sending mixed messages about its readiness to build the plant.

Lithuanian and Polish ‘strategic partnership’ started to change after the parliamentary elections in Poland.  Donald Tusk replaced Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski and a new Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radek Sikorski was not sure anymore if there is a ‘strategic partnership’ between Lithuania and Poland (during the same statement he also doubted the Polish and US strategic partnership).  The Poles began a real politk games on the EU stage.  The Lithuanian diplomats during the EU forums by default still emphasised the Russian threat but soon realising that they are rapidly becoming the only one Cold War Warrior in Brussels.  The Poles already joined a pragmatist camp.

The climax of trouble of the ‘strategic partnership’ came when Lithuania openly supported Rasmussen’ candidacy for the NATO General post.  Sikorski’s candidacy was ignored, and possibly the Lithuanian’s paid the snobbish Polish Minister back by voting for the Dane.

Obama and his team have already indicated that Washington will scale down its interests in the Central Europe.  The strongest manifestation so far resent news that Washington plans to abandon creating the anti-missile bases in Poland and the Czech republic.

Grybauskaite announced that ‘restoring the balance is first necessity’.  She keeps emphasising that Lithuania should pay more attention to its Baltic partners, Scandinavian neighbours and to the old European Union member states.  Establishing the pragmatic relations with Russia is also on Grybauskaite’s agenda.

So far Grybauskaite have been following her promise.  For the first state visit she went to Stockholm, then to Latvia, Brussels and today to Warsaw.  She has also had an official conversation with the Russian President.  It was the first time in eight year when the Lithuanian and the Russian leaders talked to each other.

During this visit Grybauskaite will talk about strengthening of the ‘strategic partnership’ with Poland.  Nevertheless Lithuania’s ‘strategic partnership’ circle is broadening.  Listening to Grybauskaite’s rhetoric Lithuania is also keen on strengthening ‘strategic partnership’ with the other Baltic and Scandinavia.  The NordBalt project will facilitate that.  Since the ‘strategic partnership’ with Poland was based on President’s Kaczynski and Adamkus worm relationship, the tool for it will have to be changed.  It is unlikely that the Lithuanian and Polish President will have same rapport.  This partnership will have to be based on more concrete projects and of course the results.