Americans sometimes ask, with good reason, why Western Europeans don’t do more to defend themselves. Behold Poland, a NATO state setting an example for all of Europe as it goes on an arms-buying spree to deter Vladimir Putin or the next Russian czar.
Last week Poland announced a $2.3 billion deal to buy missiles and missile launchers from the U.K. for its air-defense systems. The company MBDA says the purchase is “the largest European short-range air defence acquisition programme in NATO” since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Poland understands that Mr. Putin’s territorial ambitions don’t stop at the 330-mile border Poland shares with Ukraine. Russian atrocities against Ukrainian civilians have further fortified Polish determination to deter aggression. A year ago Warsaw passed the Homeland Defense Act that mandates defense spending of at least 3% of GDP, a level it has already exceeded this year. Defense spending rose to some $23.5 billion for 2023 from less than $14 billion in 2022, according to the Polish government. A separate Armed Forces Support Fund will provide up to some $11 billion more this year.
Last year’s law calls for Poland to increase its military manpower to 300,000 from some 143,500 in 2022. This will include 50,000 part-time warriors in the Polish Territorial Defense Forces. Last autumn Poland had $20 billion in military orders with the U.S. that are in the process of being fulfilled, according to the State Department. In February State approved the Polish purchase of another $10 billion in HIMARS rocket launchers and related ammo and equipment.
Yet America’s defense production capacity isn’t keeping up with the demand generated by growing global threats. Poland’s top general recently told the publication Breaking Defense that “we just took our suitcases with money and [are] going like hell around the world and trying to buy,” but “the biggest friction point globally is the capability of industry.”
Poland finalized the purchase of 32 F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. in late 2019 and early 2020, but deliveries begin next year and won’t be completed until 2030. The first shipment of missiles for Patriot air-defense systems provided under a 2018 agreement finally arrived this spring. The 250 Abrams tanks requested in 2021 won’t begin to arrive until 2025.
Poland has tried to offset these delays in part with $12.3 billion in arms purchases from South Korea, which can deliver some weapons faster. The Polish shopping list in Seoul includes nearly 200 K2 battle tanks, nearly 50 FA-50 fighter planes, as well as hundreds of howitzers and multiple rocket launchers.
Plans are also underway to work with Korean firms to build hundreds of tanks and howitzers in Poland. Even before the Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, Poland was one of only nine of NATO’s 30 members to meet the defense-spending benchmark of 2% of GDP.
Poland’s financial and military commitments to Ukraine now exceed 0.6% of GDP, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research outfit. That includes more than $2.5 billion in military support—more than France, whose economy is about four times larger than Poland’s. Poland has provided Ukraine with hundreds of tanks. Ukrainian troops also train in Poland, and the country is now a refuge for more than 1.5 million Ukrainians who fled the war.
Poland may be replacing Germany as the indispensable NATO ally in Europe. The U.S. has some 10,000 service members in the country and could consider more as their presence has popular support. As a front-line NATO state, Poland deserves front-line treatment for weapons.
Republic „We-will-kick-your-naZi-ass“ Poland
Slava Ukraini
By 2030, Poland’s army will be the most armed in Europe.
2.3 billion?
That’s cute… the US has spent how much for this issue?
I guess France and the UK aren’t needed then.
Money doesn’t equal capability otherwise Germany would have the best army in Europe…
Commiting suicide by logistics doesn’t make you a military power.
>Poland’s financial and military commitments to Ukraine now exceed 0.6%of GDP, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research outfit. That includes more than $2.5 billion in military support
…numbers provided by the polish government, with nearly no details on the method of valuation available, that they’re getting reimbursed for at 46%/82% (for different tranches of aid) by the EPF – [which is already running empty as Poland wants to get paid for **everything** they sent](https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-weapon-fund-ukraine-russia-war/).
**And guess who pays for that.**
Poland is in the unique situation that it is crucial as a staging ground for western help to Ukraine. As one expert put it, [Poland would be important “even if we were an empty field”.](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/04/magazine/poland-eu-ukraine-war.html) The weird thing is: if the polish government wouldn’t constantly alienate the EU and especially Germany, they would be on the path to become indispensable for the EU and NATO even **long-term**, and could easily become an integral member of the EU.
The governments in western europe – [and the US](https://tvpworld.com/50360761/biden-categorises-poland-alongside-belarus-and-totalitarian-regimes) – have been increasingly wary of the recent developments within Poland for a while now, and have only taken a break in publicly naming them for obvious reasons. The current polish government does not show that they care about accountability and compromise. Arming themselves with new stuff and sending lots of old soviet weapons – which obviously still help a lot – to Ukraine is one thing. But being an **actual** leader and being actually indispensable in the framework of NATO and the EU requires reliability and an honest will for cooperation aswell.
To be fair it us understandable, since Poland is the **only** European NATO member, that fulfills NATO requirements on defence (2% of GDP annually of defence budget) since 10 years consistently (with an exception of 2019).
What many European Federalists fail to mention is, there is no guarantee new European Army won’t be neglected like most of individual ones in Western Europe right now (**most** – France did relatively good job, especially in anti-terrorist preperations). German-Dutch Bundeswehra-Landmacht has an actual problem now, since due to this neglect and demobilisation process it will be difficult to remobilise in case of potential conflict (Germans now put 100 bilion Euro and cannot really expect fast changes as of now), while Polish SZRP stayed in full combat readiness for this whole time, with plans in case of Russian invasion. Meanwhile, US Army and British Royal Army have made a lot of investments and preparations in Poland in form of Foreign Aid and new garrisons, to ensure their response and presence in case of potential conflict.
So, as of now, it seems NATO, USA and Great Britain make better guarantee of safety for Poland, than e.g. Germany-Netherlands and rest of EU. It could be changed – like putting European requirement of 2-3% GDP annually of defence budget for all member states with control of combat readiness, and talking about potential integration of certain command groups in next decade – otherwise it doesn’t really make sense, or at least with narrative of being ,,counterweight” to rest of NATO. We will never be one, if we neglect the most important element of every safe and strong country. And if we cannot rely on EU for safety, then what makes USA so bad?
11 comments
Americans sometimes ask, with good reason, why Western Europeans don’t do more to defend themselves. Behold Poland, a NATO state setting an example for all of Europe as it goes on an arms-buying spree to deter Vladimir Putin or the next Russian czar.
Last week Poland announced a $2.3 billion deal to buy missiles and missile launchers from the U.K. for its air-defense systems. The company MBDA says the purchase is “the largest European short-range air defence acquisition programme in NATO” since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Poland understands that Mr. Putin’s territorial ambitions don’t stop at the 330-mile border Poland shares with Ukraine. Russian atrocities against Ukrainian civilians have further fortified Polish determination to deter aggression. A year ago Warsaw passed the Homeland Defense Act that mandates defense spending of at least 3% of GDP, a level it has already exceeded this year. Defense spending rose to some $23.5 billion for 2023 from less than $14 billion in 2022, according to the Polish government. A separate Armed Forces Support Fund will provide up to some $11 billion more this year.
Last year’s law calls for Poland to increase its military manpower to 300,000 from some 143,500 in 2022. This will include 50,000 part-time warriors in the Polish Territorial Defense Forces. Last autumn Poland had $20 billion in military orders with the U.S. that are in the process of being fulfilled, according to the State Department. In February State approved the Polish purchase of another $10 billion in HIMARS rocket launchers and related ammo and equipment.
Yet America’s defense production capacity isn’t keeping up with the demand generated by growing global threats. Poland’s top general recently told the publication Breaking Defense that “we just took our suitcases with money and [are] going like hell around the world and trying to buy,” but “the biggest friction point globally is the capability of industry.”
Poland finalized the purchase of 32 F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. in late 2019 and early 2020, but deliveries begin next year and won’t be completed until 2030. The first shipment of missiles for Patriot air-defense systems provided under a 2018 agreement finally arrived this spring. The 250 Abrams tanks requested in 2021 won’t begin to arrive until 2025.
Poland has tried to offset these delays in part with $12.3 billion in arms purchases from South Korea, which can deliver some weapons faster. The Polish shopping list in Seoul includes nearly 200 K2 battle tanks, nearly 50 FA-50 fighter planes, as well as hundreds of howitzers and multiple rocket launchers.
Plans are also underway to work with Korean firms to build hundreds of tanks and howitzers in Poland. Even before the Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, Poland was one of only nine of NATO’s 30 members to meet the defense-spending benchmark of 2% of GDP.
Poland’s financial and military commitments to Ukraine now exceed 0.6% of GDP, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research outfit. That includes more than $2.5 billion in military support—more than France, whose economy is about four times larger than Poland’s. Poland has provided Ukraine with hundreds of tanks. Ukrainian troops also train in Poland, and the country is now a refuge for more than 1.5 million Ukrainians who fled the war.
Poland may be replacing Germany as the indispensable NATO ally in Europe. The U.S. has some 10,000 service members in the country and could consider more as their presence has popular support. As a front-line NATO state, Poland deserves front-line treatment for weapons.
Republic „We-will-kick-your-naZi-ass“ Poland
Slava Ukraini
By 2030, Poland’s army will be the most armed in Europe.
2.3 billion?
That’s cute… the US has spent how much for this issue?
I guess France and the UK aren’t needed then.
Money doesn’t equal capability otherwise Germany would have the best army in Europe…
Commiting suicide by logistics doesn’t make you a military power.
>Poland’s financial and military commitments to Ukraine now exceed 0.6%of GDP, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research outfit. That includes more than $2.5 billion in military support
…numbers provided by the polish government, with nearly no details on the method of valuation available, that they’re getting reimbursed for at 46%/82% (for different tranches of aid) by the EPF – [which is already running empty as Poland wants to get paid for **everything** they sent](https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-weapon-fund-ukraine-russia-war/).
**And guess who pays for that.**
Poland is in the unique situation that it is crucial as a staging ground for western help to Ukraine. As one expert put it, [Poland would be important “even if we were an empty field”.](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/04/magazine/poland-eu-ukraine-war.html) The weird thing is: if the polish government wouldn’t constantly alienate the EU and especially Germany, they would be on the path to become indispensable for the EU and NATO even **long-term**, and could easily become an integral member of the EU.
But instead of cooperation, PM Morawiecki took the chance to proclaim how they’re the [*”New leaders of europe”*](https://www.politico.eu/article/poland-mateusz-morawiecki-europe-anti-emmanuel-macron-france-washington-china-relations/) (imagine France or Germany saying that) and how *”old europe failed”*. Instead of just sending their aid, they won’t [leave out a single chance to throw shit](https://www.politico.eu/article/poland-germany-make-nice-support-ukraine-war/) at their western neighbour and largest trade partner. Again and again, the PiS government shows that it does not care about previous agreements (as with the reparations), cooperation, or european integrity.
The governments in western europe – [and the US](https://tvpworld.com/50360761/biden-categorises-poland-alongside-belarus-and-totalitarian-regimes) – have been increasingly wary of the recent developments within Poland for a while now, and have only taken a break in publicly naming them for obvious reasons. The current polish government does not show that they care about accountability and compromise. Arming themselves with new stuff and sending lots of old soviet weapons – which obviously still help a lot – to Ukraine is one thing. But being an **actual** leader and being actually indispensable in the framework of NATO and the EU requires reliability and an honest will for cooperation aswell.
To be fair it us understandable, since Poland is the **only** European NATO member, that fulfills NATO requirements on defence (2% of GDP annually of defence budget) since 10 years consistently (with an exception of 2019).
What many European Federalists fail to mention is, there is no guarantee new European Army won’t be neglected like most of individual ones in Western Europe right now (**most** – France did relatively good job, especially in anti-terrorist preperations). German-Dutch Bundeswehra-Landmacht has an actual problem now, since due to this neglect and demobilisation process it will be difficult to remobilise in case of potential conflict (Germans now put 100 bilion Euro and cannot really expect fast changes as of now), while Polish SZRP stayed in full combat readiness for this whole time, with plans in case of Russian invasion. Meanwhile, US Army and British Royal Army have made a lot of investments and preparations in Poland in form of Foreign Aid and new garrisons, to ensure their response and presence in case of potential conflict.
So, as of now, it seems NATO, USA and Great Britain make better guarantee of safety for Poland, than e.g. Germany-Netherlands and rest of EU. It could be changed – like putting European requirement of 2-3% GDP annually of defence budget for all member states with control of combat readiness, and talking about potential integration of certain command groups in next decade – otherwise it doesn’t really make sense, or at least with narrative of being ,,counterweight” to rest of NATO. We will never be one, if we neglect the most important element of every safe and strong country. And if we cannot rely on EU for safety, then what makes USA so bad?
~~Ally~~ Customer.
Polska Gurom
Amen, a Baltic person.