A leading Polish commentator warns that wavering support for Ukraine could expose Poland to direct Russian threats, sparking debate after the White Eagle controversy.
Support for Kyiv is a key issue for Warsaw, as it directly affects Poland’s own security.
This view was expressed by the well-known Polish publicist Sławomir Sierakowski in an interview.
This is issue number one, no less important than Poland’s NATO membership. If Russia captures Ukraine’s resources and appears at our borders, no NATO will help us. However, this awareness in Poland evidently wanes. This is what Snyder points to (in a recent interview for Newsweek Polska – ed.): today Poles depend more on Ukraine than on the United States. Secondly, Poles are starting to make the same mistake they have always, and quite rightly, blamed the West for: they behave as if they do not realize the Russian threat
– Sławomir Sierakowski
He noted that in Poland it’s hard to fight Russian propaganda, since no government, not even the American one, can defeat a million bots.
However, what the state undoubtedly can and should do is relentlessly pursue any attacks on Ukrainians and, in general, on immigrants. The Polish state must show that it controls the situation and that Poland does not belong to the right-wing radicals. The Polish authorities can do this, and I hope that they will.
– Sławomir Sierakowski
On June 19, Karol Nawrocki decided to revoke Volodymyr Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle. Commenting on this decision, he noted that Poles know what war is and what the Russian threat is, while emphasizing that they have a line of patience that has been crossed.
they have their limit of patience that has been crossed
– Karol Nawrocki
On June 20, Zelensky said that he had mailed the Order of the White Eagle to the President of Poland. The head of state assured that Ukraine remains open to all meaningful formats of cooperation with partners.
In conclusion, the issue of supporting Ukraine remains acute: it is a security matter for Poland and the entire region, and its resolution requires a consistent stance and constructive dialogue with partners.
A Look at Security and Regional Cooperation
In light of events in Europe and the strengthening of the Russian threat, the question of supporting Ukraine takes on a new dimension for Warsaw. Poland’s key role will be to maintain calm and responsibility in its actions, while holding the line with its allies. Partnership with the United States and other NATO members remains an important element of regional security, even amid widespread concern about how exactly to respond to potential challenges.