“Countries of Central and Eastern Europe were not mistaken in their assessments and opinions regarding the Russian threat, even at a time when Western Europe was still focused on climate policy or on allowing illegal immigrants to enter,” President Karol Nawrocki said on Sunday after meeting with the presidents of Lithuania and Ukraine as part of the Lublin Triangle. He pointed out that regional formats such as this one are important for all of Europe, particularly in terms of security.
“One reflection that dominated […] is that 163 years have passed since the outbreak of the January Uprising. So much happened in the 20th century, and yet one thing has essentially not changed – Russia remains a threat to the region of Central and Eastern Europe,”
he said.
“We can see that years pass, policies of ‘resets’ with the Russian Federation come and go, but one thing does not change. Regardless of whether it is Tsarist Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or Vladimir Putin’s Russia, our countries, now independent, still face the same problem: the threat from the Russian Federation,”
he stressed.
He noted that this is precisely why regional frameworks such as the Lublin Triangle are so important. “It is also important for Western Europe. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe were not wrong in their assessments and opinions about the Russian threat, even when Western Europe was still focused on climate policy or on allowing illegal immigrants to enter,” he said.
Security as a priority
He reported that a large part of the discussion within this format was devoted to security. He thanked the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, for providing information on the situation at the front and on the progress of peace talks.
“As you know, I take part in these discussions in various formats, including with the participation of the President of the United States and the Coalition of the Willing, but first-hand information, on what the situation looks like at the front and what the negotiation process looks like, provides many arguments for discussion in the interest of our shared security,”
he said.
Nawrocki also praised the Lithuanian authorities for aiming to allocate 5.4% of GDP to defense and investments. He referred to the construction of a training ground in Kopciowo, where, according to the declaration, Poland’s 16th Mechanized Division will be able to conduct exercises.
“This reflects a willingness to invest in a location that is strategic for the security of the whole of Central and Eastern Europe, in the Suwałki Gap. This is proof of responsibility in the sphere of security,”
he said.