Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of Poland’s governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, had expressed his hope that U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Warsaw would see concrete declarations of American and other Western states’ engagement in support of Ukraine.
Kaczyński warned the situation in Ukraine is urgent since Russia is reported to have mobilized half a million troops, a number three times higher than that which invaded Ukraine a year ago.
“This has to be matched quickly by help from the West in the form of tanks, planes, long-range rockets, as well as financial and logistical support,” Kaczyński told conservative Sieci weekly.
He acknowledged that aid for Ukraine was a race against time and revealed his calls have been met by resistance in countries such as Germany, which he says is keen to return to the past relations with Russia before the war broke out.
Kaczyński noted that Western elites did business with Russia and that Germany benefited from cheap Russian gas. He said he believes Germany has not given up on “Bismarckian hopes” of a Europe dominated by Germany in alliance with Russia. The prospect may be remote at the moment, but he feels there are those in Germany who still harbor such hopes.
As evidence, Kaczyński cited the words of a former German ambassador to Poland, Rolf Nikel, who said that “Poland’s five minutes of fame may end sooner than many expect,” a patronizing remark which reveals Germany’s real intent toward Poland.
The leader of the ruling conservatives said he believes Poland must “keep up pressure on our neighbors and others in Europe about what would be the consequences of Germany taking power over all of Europe.”
He warned that Germany was still committed to pushing the U.S. out of Europe. That was his reading of the concept of European strategic sovereignty touted by Germany and France.
