Poland's Ukrainian rehabilitation

• Published date: 26 February 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

Russia's war against Ukraine has been reshaping European politics. The former Soviet bloc countries of Central and Eastern Europe ? all now members of the European Union and NATO ? have proved to be a major force in shaping the West's strategy for preserving Ukraine as an independent nation-state. And none more so than Poland.

When discussions about imposing a price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil stalled last fall, it was Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia that the United States lobbied to break the impasse. These governments had dug in their heels to demand an even lower price (of $30 per barrel), in order to cut more deeply into the Kremlin's oil revenues. Then, at the start of this year, U.S. Treasury officials turned to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland again, to see what maximum price level they would accept for additional caps on Russian refined petroleum products.

Before the war, Poland and the Baltic states were often portrayed as being irrationally intransigent when it came to dealing with Russia. Owing to their memory of Russian imperialism, occupation, and oppression, they had long exhibited a "Russia realism," in stark contrast to the pragmatic, economically-minded stance of Germany and France.

This divergence in perspective prevailed up until Russia's full-scale invasion last February. Even though the U.S. intelligence community had presented compelling evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin was about to send in his forces, most other Western governments continued to insist that such a move was "irrational" and thus "improbable." By contrast, Poland and the Baltic states took the reports at face value and braced for the worst.

One year later, their strategic posture has become the new Western standard. Central and Eastern European governments now enjoy significant influence in Brussels, London, and Washington, especially when it comes to designing policies to punish Russia. Some have demonstrated unwavering resolve, even as their bigger, more powerful EU neighbors have made half-hearted efforts and dragged their feet.

For example, Poland has provided more military, humanitarian, and financial assistance to Ukraine than most other Western countries. It has welcomed 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees (more than any other country), and increased defense spending to a record 3 percent of GDP this year, putting the Polish army on track to become one of Europe's finest.

Of course, not all Central and Eastern European countries are on board. Most...