After the Second World War, Poland became a Soviet dependency, and for nearly fifty years was deprived of the sovereign right to determine its directions of activity on the international area. Only after the break-up of the Soviet bloc, Poland's aspirations to play an active role in the sphere of Western civilisation and to participate in Euro-Atlantic structures became possible. Subsequently, European integration based on the observance of the principles of democracy, protection of human rights and a market economy, became the model to follow. The European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries are Poland's main partners guaranteeing the external security and the further development.