Germany calls on Poland to close its coal mines, citing cross-border pollution concerns. The debate over energy policies sparks tensions amid differing national strategies.
German Politicians Demand Polish Coal Phase-Out
German politicians have raised concerns over air pollution allegedly caused by Polish coal mines and power plants. According to Bild, emissions from Poland travel westward, affecting air quality, particularly in eastern Germany. Christian Meyer, the Environment Minister of Lower Saxony, called for an accelerated shutdown of Polish coal facilities, arguing that these plants significantly contribute to Europe’s pollution. The German media highlights Poland’s slower adoption of air-quality measures compared to Germany, which has implemented stricter regulations, such as mandatory filters in coal stoves.
Energy Politics and European Union Involvement
The situation has attracted the attention of the European Commission, which is closely monitoring Poland’s compliance with EU air quality standards. While Germany is pushing for a faster transition, Poland is navigating its energy policy to balance environmental goals with economic stability. Critics warn that external pressure might harm Polish industry and raise concerns about political interference. With Poland considering nuclear energy as part of its decarbonization efforts, the debate underscores broader EU challenges in coordinating national energy strategies amid environmental and economic concerns.
“This is hutzpah, the fraking hutzpah. This is foreign, as far as the Polish people are concerned, this is a foreign government; it’s a foreign CIA front apparatus imploring their own elected government about which citizens they need to arrest, even giving them the list of targets. Imagine if the Russian Ministry of Affairs sent Donald Trump a message saying, ‘Not only do you have to arrest the remnants of the Kamala Harris–Joe Biden campaign, but we’re giving you the list of target names. Here’s who Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, must file criminal indictments against.’ This is an irrational incident,” said Mike Benz, head of the Foundation for Freedom Online, on The Joe Rogan Experience, commenting on how power changed hands in Poland in 2023.
USAID in Its Current Form Has Gone Down in History
One of the first decisions by the new U.S. President Donald Trump was to suspend for 90 days all American foreign aid programs, including those of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), to assess their compatibility with his foreign policy.
Under Joe Biden’s administration, USAID funded, among others, foreign media outlets and NGOs promoting a broadly defined left-liberal agenda.
Trump’s decision to suspend foreign programs provoked reactions from organizations and media operating in Poland as well. Among the beneficiaries listed were outlets such as Krytyka Polityczna and organizations like the Mariusz Szczygieł Institute of Reportage and Citizens Network Watchdog Poland.
Not Only USAID
Alongside USAID, another key tool of U.S. administration influence on the politics of various countries worldwide is the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Founded in 1983, it is described as a “quasi-autonomous” organization whose goal is “to spread democracy worldwide.” Its funding comes from the U.S. Congress. For years, NED has been pointed to as a mechanism for conducting American foreign policy.
Recently, Elon Musk declared the organization to be “full of corruption” and stated it “must be dissolved.” Media have noted that so far, NED has not received funding from the current U.S. administration.
One of NED’s branches is the journal Journal of Democracy. In its December 2023 issue, an article titled “How to Dismantle an Illiberal Democracy,” authored by Jarosław Kuisz and Karolina Wigura, addressed the political changes in Poland.
“Win the Next Election So We Don’t Have to Fund You”
The article became a topic of discussion on the extremely popular podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, where Mike Benz, head of the Foundation for Freedom Online, was a guest.
“Formally, what’s published here isn’t technically an official NED publication, nor does it mean it’s NED’s foreign policy. But it is a publication they paid for. They’re saying that Poland is not an autocracy—unfortunately, we can’t call it a dictatorship like Putin’s or the Chinese Communist Party’s—because people voted for them, and they won fairly. But they’re calling it an ‘illiberal democracy’ because the ‘democratic institutions do not have the freedom to operate,’” Benz observed.
He pointed to references about “holding accountable those responsible for the worst violations of the rule of law” and the need for the new Polish government to apply “transitional justice.”
“That’s exactly what we see in every USAID operation. They have to arrest people from the government we’ve just replaced. Prime Minister Tusk and his coalition must—no longer ‘should’ or ‘might consider’—they must stabilize the political system, meaning they have to govern in a way that prevents them from losing the next election,” Benz added.
He noted that populists who “cannot return to power in the next elections” include Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, Marine Le Pen, and Matteo Salvini.
“It’s a direct order to make sure you win the next election so that we don’t have to fund you or use our delicate pressure to steer you. Arrest these people so they can’t run against you again,” Benz described NED’s methods of operation.
A Bizarre Case of Chutzpah
He then focused on another excerpt from Kuisz and Wigura’s article:
“The new government should concentrate on whether and how to punish suspects. There are currently a number of cases that should be immediately adjudicated.”
“This is hutzpah, the fraking hutzpah. This is foreign, as far as the Polish people are concerned, this is a foreign government; it’s a foreign CIA front apparatus imploring their own elected government about which citizens they need to arrest, even giving them the list of targets. Imagine if the Russian Ministry of Affairs sent Donald Trump a message saying, ‘Not only do you have to arrest the remnants of the Kamala Harris–Joe Biden campaign, but we’re giving you the list of target names. Here’s who Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, must file criminal indictments against.’ This is an irrational incident,” Benz warned.
He recalled that Poland’s ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS), “was an ally of Trump.”
“And that’s another issue. NED is carrying out a boomerang attack by preventing PiS from gaining popularity in Poland,” he added.
Poland has been a key player in supporting Ukraine since the first day of the war. Without Poland, aid to Ukraine would not be possible. An estimated 95% of humanitarian assistance and military equipment passes through the logistics hub in Poland, a process that has been ongoing for three years. “We have forces protecting this process, and we thank the United States for its support. This is Poland’s role, and we need to develop it further—as a logistical security provider, not by sending troops to Ukraine. What we can do is send our companies,” said Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during a press conference.
Peace Negotiations and European Involvement
Peace negotiations aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine have begun, with the United States emphasizing the need for greater European engagement. This raises the question: Will Polish soldiers be deployed to Ukraine?
“Donald Trump’s negotiations are just the first step. Some may see it as the final phase, but it is only the beginning. The outcome remains to be seen. We must remain strong and united. Poland has been doing a great deal to support Ukraine since the war began. Without Poland, there is no aid for Ukraine. The majority of humanitarian and military support passes through Poland, and we have been ensuring this for three years. Our role is to provide logistical support, not to send troops to Ukraine. What we can do is send our companies, including in joint ventures with the U.S., investing in the defense industry,” Kosiniak-Kamysz stated during a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
He added that investments in Ukraine represent “a major guarantee of security.”
Polish-U.S. Defense Industry Cooperation?
Previously, Kosiniak-Kamysz had emphasized that arms purchases from “our strategic partner, the U.S., are an absolute priority.”
“Europe must demonstrate its contribution, and we are fulfilling our obligations. Poland is meeting its allied commitments,” the defense minister stated, thanking the U.S. for maintaining a military presence in Poland. He also underlined Poland’s interest in expanding cooperation between Polish and American defense companies.
“Our strategy is to be a transatlantic bridge connecting the U.S. with Europe. We are best prepared for this role and have the deepest understanding of U.S. operations. We want to establish a maintenance hub for military equipment used by allies on NATO’s eastern flank,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said. He added that Poland could serve as “an infrastructure and service hub” for military operations in the region.
Magdalena Fitas-Czuchnowska, the wife of “Gazeta Wyborcza” journalist Wojciech Czuchnowski—who, just two days ago, labeled U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth a “moron”—served today as the interpreter during Hegseth’s meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. What’s more, Fitas-Czuchnowska had previously shared on social media her husband’s offensive tweet, effectively endorsing his words. It’s worth noting that she was previously known as Fitas-Dukaczewska and was married to the last head of the Military Information Services (WSI), Marek Dukaczewski, who was trained by the GRU. She also served as a trusted interpreter during the “reset” in relations with Putin’s Russia—among other things, she interpreted conversations between Vladimir Putin and Donald Tusk on April 7 and 10, 2010.
The Ministry of National Defense announced today that Polish and American officials discussed cooperation, joint projects, and ongoing deterrence efforts on NATO’s eastern flank. “Poland remains a close ally of the U.S.,” the ministry assured. However, there is one situation that significantly impacts the Polish government’s credibility in this matter—and may even give the impression of a deliberate, anti-American provocation.
He called Hegseth a ‘moron.’ His wife shared that post and then… interpreted the conversation
Two days ago, “Gazeta Wyborcza” journalist Wojciech Czuchnowski referred to Pete Hegseth as a “tattooed recidivist moron.” This was how he described the U.S. Secretary of Defense, currently visiting Poland.
One might have brushed off such comments from a politically engaged media employee were it not for the fact that the person interpreting at today’s meeting between Hegseth and Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz was none other than Czuchnowski’s wife, Magdalena Fitas-Czuchnowska. Moreover, just two days earlier, she herself had shared her husband’s offensive post.
“Someone pulled Gen. Bieniek out of mothballs, along with Stróżyk, who was a Trump-era hater. And at Kosiniak-Kamysz’s side, we have Ms. Fitas-Czuchnowska. This must be some kind of provocation!” wrote MP Andrzej Śliwka on social media.
Who is Fitas-Czuchnowska, aka Fitas-Dukaczewska?
Magdalena Fitas-Czuchnowska (formerly Fitas-Dukaczewska, ex-wife of Marek Dukaczewski—the former head of the WSI, a PRL military intelligence officer, and a GRU trainee) worked from 1999 to 2015 as an English and Russian interpreter for successive Polish governments and presidents.
In 2010, she served as Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s interpreter during his visits to Katyn on April 7 and Smolensk on April 10, interpreting talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The Czuchnowskis make no secret of their intense hostility toward the current opposition. They demonstrated it to such an extent that their wedding featured decorations with “eight stars”—a vulgar slogan aimed at PiS.
A Russian drone struck the protective sarcophagus covering the damaged Chernobyl nuclear reactor on the night of February 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. The explosion caused damage to the structure but did not result in increased radiation levels, according to Ukrainian officials and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Damage and Radiation Levels
The attack, carried out by an explosive-laden drone, ignited a fire that was later extinguished. President Zelensky reported that while the sarcophagus sustained significant damage, radiation levels remained stable. The IAEA confirmed that no radiation increase was detected inside or outside the structure. No casualties were reported.
Last night, a Russian attack drone with a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter protecting the world from radiation at the destroyed 4th power unit of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
This shelter was built by Ukraine together with other countries of Europe and the world,… pic.twitter.com/mLTGeDYgPT
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 14, 2025
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that the strike, along with rising military activity near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, highlights ongoing threats to nuclear safety. Zelensky condemned Russia’s actions, stating that only Russia engages in military operations near nuclear sites without concern for global consequences.
The Chernobyl disaster occurred on April 26, 1986, when Reactor 4 exploded, spreading radioactive contamination across Europe. The site remains under strict monitoring, with the sarcophagus and “New Safe Confinement” structure protecting the reactor remains. The Chernobyl power plant ceased operations in 2000.
Marcin Józefaciuk, a member of Poland’s Civic Coalition (KO), has proposed removing Pentecost and Easter Sunday from the list of public holidays. During a parliamentary committee meeting, he pointed out that Pentecost, which always falls on a Sunday, is not recognized in the Concordat between Poland and the Vatican. He argued that its removal would not violate any international agreements.
Easter Sunday Under Review
Józefaciuk also suggested reconsidering Easter Sunday as a public holiday, emphasizing that since it already falls on a Sunday, its official designation may be redundant. In response, committee members decided to draft a recommendation for the Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy to evaluate the matter further.
The proposal has sparked discussions about the balance between religious traditions and labor policies. Poland, a predominantly Catholic country, has historically protected religious holidays. Critics argue that removing these holidays could undermine cultural heritage, while supporters see it as a pragmatic step in labor law reform.
Polish MP Przemysław Czarnek has expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s diplomatic efforts regarding the war in Ukraine. Speaking at a press conference, Czarnek praised Trump for taking a “realistic approach” to his promises and initiating peace negotiations. He emphasized that while a peace treaty is unlikely in the immediate future, a ceasefire could come soon, reflecting the hopes of many Ukrainians.
The Importance of Ending the War
Czarnek underlined that Ukraine’s development hinges on halting military actions. He expressed gratitude to Trump for making the conflict a global priority, stating that stopping the bombing of Ukraine is the most pressing issue. He also noted the immense social damage caused by the war, particularly the loss of young Ukrainian men.
Following Trump’s conversations with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, concerns arose about potential negotiations happening without Ukraine’s full involvement. Czarnek dismissed these fears, stressing that discussions with Ukraine are occurring simultaneously. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reassured that there is “no betrayal of Ukraine.”
A violent altercation occurred at a gym in Katowice on Wednesday when a 21-year-old Nigerian man attacked another gymgoer. According to reports, the suspect used a training hammer during the assault. The victim was taken to the hospital for medical evaluation, while the suspect was apprehended by the police.
Police Investigation Underway
Authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the attack. The Silesian police responded swiftly, arresting the aggressive individual at the scene. Witnesses described him as visibly agitated. Meanwhile, the injured victim received medical attention, though the extent of their injuries remains undisclosed.
Pilne. Dziś w Katowicach w godzinach popołudniowych 21-letni obywatel Nigerii z nieznanych dotąd przyczyn, zaatakował innego użytkownika siłowni przyrządem treningowym.
Policjanci natychmiast udali się na miejsce, zatrzymano pobudzonego i agresywnego mężczyznę. Zaatakowany przez… pic.twitter.com/YuHkZP8mMj
Unofficial sources suggest that the suspect’s weapon of choice was a training hammer, but the police have not confirmed this detail. Investigators are now gathering statements and reviewing surveillance footage to establish the circumstances leading to the attack.
The suspect could face serious legal consequences, depending on the findings of the investigation. Local authorities continue to analyze evidence to determine the appropriate charges. Further updates will follow as more details emerge.
Poland has officially established February 14 as the National Day of Remembrance for Home Army Soldiers. President Andrzej Duda led the first commemoration, paying tribute to fallen commanders at the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw. He emphasized the Home Army’s role as a unique symbol of resistance and national unity during World War II.
The Legacy of the Home Army
Formed on February 14, 1942, by order of Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski, the Home Army (AK) evolved from the earlier Union for Armed Struggle. As the military arm of the Polish Underground State, it reported to the Polish government-in-exile and prepared for a nationwide uprising against Nazi occupation. The Home Army’s efforts, including sabotage, intelligence gathering, and armed resistance, were crucial in Poland’s fight for sovereignty.
During the ceremony, President Duda highlighted the Home Army’s extraordinary courage and its lasting impact on Polish identity. He expressed gratitude to veterans and patriotic organizations that preserve this legacy. The legislation establishing the national holiday was passed unanimously by the Polish parliament, reflecting widespread respect for these wartime heroes.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calls Poland a model NATO ally, highlighting military cooperation and addressing the war in Ukraine during his visit to Warsaw.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reaffirmed the unwavering bond between the United States and Poland during his visit to Warsaw. Meeting with Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, he emphasized Poland’s role as a model NATO ally, committed to both national and continental security. Both leaders agreed on expanding joint investments, enhancing defense capabilities, and reinforcing deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank. Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed gratitude that Poland was Hegseth’s first stop, calling it a testament to shared security strategies and friendship.
The Reality of Ukraine’s War
Addressing the ongoing war in Ukraine, Hegseth acknowledged that restoring Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is unlikely. While reaffirming U.S. support, he ruled out the possibility of American troops in Ukraine. He stressed that negotiations involving Presidents Trump, Zelensky, and Putin—along with European leaders—would shape the region’s future. His remarks underscored the necessity of military strength, stating that while diplomacy is vital, “hard power” remains crucial for deterrence.
