The conflict could add new energy into the triple alliance that has, at times, suffered from division and arguments, and the whims and prejudices of various governments over the years.

Established in the heady year of 1991 as Europe adjusted to life minus the Iron Curtain, and German reunification, the Triangle brought together three states which, within living memory, had been at the heart of WWII, Europe’s bloodiest and most destructive conflict.

Named after the German town where it was established, the Weimar Triangle aimed to reconcile historical differences by promoting co-operation on cross-border and European issues.

Hans-Dietrich Genscher, the then German foreign minister, chose the historic town of Weimar as the meeting’s location because it had been in the old East Germany but was now in the newly reunified Germany.

The foreign minister from each country signed a 10-point joint declaration on August 28-29, 1991, and the Weimar Triangle was founded.

Initially, the Triangle played a crucial role in supporting German-Polish reconciliation, inspired by the Franco-German model, with the founding declaration emphasizing the countries’ responsibility for European integration.

The Triangle also worked on integrating Poland into European and Euro-Atlantic structures; a policy that reached its fruition with Poland’s accession to NATO and the EU.

Once these goals were achieved, the Triangle evolved into a platform for trilateral cooperation, expanding to include international consultations, the development of common positions, and cultural and scientific collaboration.

But its status also suffered. Poland’s Law and Justice government, which was in power from 2015 to 2023, put an emphasis on other multi-national platforms such as the Visegrad 4 and the Three Seas Initiative, at the expense of the Triangle.

Its sometimes combative approach to relations with Germany also cast a shadow over the organization.

Today, the Weimar Triangle serves as a platform for consultations and forming common positions on key European policy issues.

While the Ukraine war has exposed differences between the Triangle’s members, experts say it also provides it with an opportunity to help formulate a new European security and defense policy that many believe is sorely needed.