“When I look at how we looked in 1999, when I planted the Polish flag during the exercises of the immediate reaction forces in Italy and we joined the Alliance, and how we look now, I am amazed that at this moment we an example for countries that at that time seemed to us the leading in the Alliance” – General Roman Polko, former GROM commander, in an interview with the wPolityce.pl portal.
wPolityce.pl: Is this the last Easter where the war in Ukraine continues?
General Roman Polko: I would really like that to be true. The question arises to what extent the Western countries will support Ukraine, because we expect a major offensive. Ukraine has received military support, but conducting offensive operations is much more difficult than defending. Let’s see how this “invincible army” has not been able to conquer Bakhmut for half a year. The Ukrainians are smarter, I don’t want to compare them to those Russian troops. But they are more likely to get promises of military support, at least from countries like Germany, than actual support. Let’s look at a simple explanation. As President Andrzej Duda said, Poland has transferred 300 tanks to Ukraine. Germany a dozen. And they announce that they can no longer support Ukraine, having exhausted their potential. So the fourth largest arms exporter in the world, and the numbers don’t lie, with a huge budget and enormous capabilities of the arms industry, suddenly says he can’t help. However, I hope that Ukraine will receive such support in the coming days. not only allowing us to regain the initiative on the battlefield, as it will certainly take place, but Ukraine must be able to carry out this final assault and expel the year of the occupiers from its own territory. Russia has already lost and everyone can see that, but some politicians are acting as if they fear that Ukraine is going to win this war.
Who could be disturbed by Ukraine’s victory?
Perhaps this is due to procrastination and a poor view of security issues. Germany has for years shown that it entrusted its security to the Americans, which did not prevent it from competing with the Americans economically and criticizing their military presence on German soil. Germany has been the most important player in Europe so far, an economic leader, and also claims to be a leader in security. And at the same time, in a war situation, this leadership is not visible, and if it were not for the Americans, Ukraine would be part of Putin’s empire. And we should ask ourselves what we should do to protect ourselves from provocations.
Is there already a new balance of power in Europe in the field of security? What is the significance of establishing the first permanent US base in Poland?
The new security architecture is already being built and we are seeing it before our very eyes. Fortunately, it includes many more countries than just Poland. We have Finland, Sweden, which to some extent solves the problem of the Baltic Sea, which was not well protected by the dwindling Polish navy. It is also very beneficial from the point of view of Poland’s geopolitical position. This includes eg Kaliningrad Oblast. And the American presence, regardless of presidency, is crucial to Poland’s security. It must be admitted, however, that Putin has somehow also shaken up Europe. Polish diplomacy must dig deep and strive that it is in these partner countries of ours, from France, Spain to Hungary, that they realize that Putin is a real threat to security. That is why it is necessary to finally integrate and build a collective defense. Poland is really doing it, Britain is really doing it, France seems to be ripe for it too.
We are buying more and more military equipment, we are investing in the army. How much truth is there in the fact that the Polish army will be one of the strongest in Europe? Isn’t that optimism?
It’s a matter of eight to ten years. Ukraine really gave us this time. They gave us time to transform the military into the military of the 21st century. This leap is real, not just in documents. It is important that we develop the Polish defense industry. I remember when I was in command of “Grom”, it was difficult for me to buy something sensible, produced in Poland, when I sent soldiers to Afghanistan or Iraq. Now we have Pioruns, Grots, Warmates, Crabs, lots of modern gear and weapons. We also participate in joint projects in the European Union. And even more important is the relationship with South Korea. This is an army that builds potential based on people and their intellectual achievements. We have the Territorial Defense Forces, which are not professional, but first class troops. Based on civilian knowledge, which is also very useful on the battlefield today. This can be seen in Ukraine.
When I look at what we looked like in 1999, when I planted the Polish flag during the immediate reaction forces exercises in Italy and we joined the Alliance, and how we look now, I am amazed that we have a example for countries that then seemed to us to be leading in the Alliance.
300,000 soldiers of the Polish army. Is this a real plan or a myth?
In the righteous past, we had 400,000 soldiers under arms, and after the mobilization development, more than a million. And we spent 15 percent. GDP before armaments in the Cold War era. Now that is 4 percent, with a much larger budget. We have no choice but to invest in our defense. And the Polish arms industry, which strengthens our defense, can also be an export product.
Will the Polish defense industry become a reference in Europe in the coming years?
I think so. We live in a time when this war, which should never have happened again, is unfolding beyond our borders, and countries that have been neutral until now are breaking with this neutrality and realizing that they also need to strengthen their security. Finland buys K9 howitzers, Norway buys Polish Piorunas. In the coming years, until Russia understands that military confrontation is not the way to build its nation’s prosperity, we will have such a situation. It is good that Poland knows how to find its way in this sensibly.
How do you rate President Zelensky’s visit, his speech and what happened in Warsaw?
A beautiful speech by President Zelensky. This is how you give a fighting spirit, morale. It is also very important, especially now that all the Russian trolls are doing their best to drive a wedge between Poland and Ukraine, to look for some feuds. And so far this is how Putin won his interests in Europe – he divided individual countries and played them individually. President Zelensky did everything he could to show that we are brother nations, that we have a good perspective before us. And the key to success is that we stick together. If Poland and Ukraine want to be strong, we must work together.
Tomasz Karpowicz spoke.
Source: wPolityce