Poland's EU and NATO membership in the concept of power

This thesis examines Poland's membership of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on a power axis after the collapse of the Soviet Bloc. The main question that this study seeks to answer is the reasons for Poland's orientation to EU and NATO membership after the Cold War. The argument for explaining this question is that Poland's need for cooperation with international organizations during the Cold War and afterwards carries a power-based security and economic concern in the region. Keywords: Poland, Power, Realism, European Union, NATO