Poland is no longer between Germany and Russia. Together with Germany, it is part of the European security order in which Ukraine also sees its future.
In the past, differences in policy towards Russia have been the biggest source of distrust between Berlin and Warsaw. If Poland, Germany and France come closer in terms of policy towards Russia, this could unleash important potential for cooperation in European security policy.
When conflict broke out in the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, European powers had to act with extreme caution. Any wrong step by one country could arouse others' suspicions that it is pursuing its own interests in the region.
The fear of disputes in the Balkans was so great that ultimately everyone was happy to leave the responsibility to the United States.
In the case of the war in Ukraine, Europeans do not have this luxury. This time they cannot stay aside, also because the United States is distancing itself from Europe [co jasno pokazuje m.in. ogłoszona przez USA nowa Strategia Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego. Parlament Europejski wstrzymał niedawno ratyfikację umowy handlowej Unii Europejskiej ze Stanami Zjednoczonymi, co wskazuje na rosnącą nieufność między decydentami po obu stronach Atlantyku].
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Western European countries have discovered Ukraine's potential. Until recently, this large European country was terra incognita for many inhabitants of the continent, including the political elite. Ukraine has become the center of European security policy – and this is an irreversible change. The belief has become entrenched that one cannot cut themselves off from Ukraine without harming oneself.
“It will require overcoming resistance”
If Europeans decide to defend and stabilize Ukraine in the long term, it will have a lasting impact on European security policy. However, it will also require military cooperation and presence in Ukraine after the end of the war, whatever form it takes [zaangażowanie Europy].
For some countries, this will require overcoming resistance, if only for historical reasons, but that is precisely the point. They should not forget that leaving Ukraine to its own devices would be unwise. A country with an army of 800,000. combat-experienced soldiers, modern defense industry and countless people affected by war should feel part of the community.
Ukrainian soldiers on the road between Konstantynivka and Druzhkivka in Donbas (illustrative photo)Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images / Contributor / Getty Images
The so-called coalition of the willing provides an appropriate platform for Europe's military presence, if only because it enables the participation of Great Britain, a NATO partner.
A joint commitment to defend Ukraine's security would be an important signal, both political and symbolic: despite or precisely because of the epochal breakthrough we are currently experiencing, Poland and Germany should not return to old geopolitical antagonisms.
If Europe wants to learn responsibility, the issue of engagement in Ukraine is the best opportunity to do so. To avoid competition for power between nation states, Germany and Poland, and above all France and Great Britain, should treat maintaining peace in the East as a common European task.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
