COL(R) Ray Wojcik (Kosciuszko Chain Warsaw), former US Army attaché in Poland, presented his recommendations on how to make aid to Ukraine more effective and how to improve security in the region, in the area of the so-called Eastern Front of the Alliance.
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COL Ray Wojcik is with the Kosciuszko Chain in Warsaw. He previously served as the US Army Attaché, to Poland
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PolskieRadio24.pl: What is the reason for President Biden’s visit to Poland?
COL Ray Wojcik (former US Army Attaché, to Poland, Kosciuszko Chain Warszawa):
The White House announced that this visit is an opportunity for President Biden to thank Poland for its stalwart effort to assist Ukraine, and to strengthen the security of the region. This includes a discussion on bilateral cooperation and collective efforts to support Ukraine and NATO’s deterrence. Alongside Romania, Poland is co-chair of the “Bucharest-9” (B9) group of nations, and President Biden also plans to meet with the B9 in Warsaw.
There is no question that President Biden and his Administration should recognize Poland’s indispensable role in Europe and especially in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the ensuing security crisis in Europe. The White House knows this is not just a regional challenge, but that the conflict has wide-reaching global implications, not the least of which is how the war’s outcome will influence an increasingly aggressive China. In American terms, this an “all- hands-on deck” situation for the Transatlantic community, and though several important nations have disappointed, Poland has not. In fact, Poland has stepped up at every turn. The United States can see that Poland recognizes what is at stake, is thinking clearly and acting strategically.
Poland is leading the region and Europe, diplomatically, militarily, economically and in its exemplar response for war refugees - in numbers not seen in Europe since WWII. President Biden should thank Poland for its massive relief effort for millions of Ukrainian refugees. Poland’s refugee support is so spectacular, that Ambassador Brzezinski, American Ambassador to Poland has called Poland a “Refugee Superpower,” and he has recommended that Poland receive the Nobel Peace Prize, for its support of Ukraine.
President Biden should recall that Poland clearly recognized the first attack in Russia’s second recent war on Ukraine, is actually a hybrid border attack on Poland. It begins in the summer of 2021, with Russia trying to distract NATO while it encircles Ukraine. Russia sponsors a continuous hybrid migrant attack on Poland, from Belorussia. President Biden can note that Poland decisively responded, protecting its border, which means protecting both NATO and European Union borders. Poland’s response includes the rapid construction of a 200-kilometer fence on the NATO and the EU frontiers with Belarus.
President Biden should thank Poland for sounding the alarm bell early and often about revisionist Russia, and for Poland’s prescient urging for a strong USA and European response in the face of Russian aggression. Poland has been proven right about the undue influence Russia would gain with Nord Stream 1 and 2 projects, and in Poland’s calls for permanent American and western Allied presence on NATO’s Eastern Front. Poland’s strategic role for America’s posture in Europe cannot be understated. Poland currently hosts 10,000 US Army soldiers on multiple Polish bases, a powerful US Air Force Aviation Detachment, and a US Navy Ballistic Missile Defense site. Poland and the USA recently established the first permanent presence of two important US Army headquarters at “Camp Kosciuszko.”
Significantly during Russia’s continuing brutal war of aggression on Ukraine, Poland has become the central hub for desperately needed Allied equipment, ammunition, and other supplies for Ukraine. Even as a frontline state, risking its own defense readiness, Poland has generously supplied hundreds of tanks, armored equipment, artillery, air defense systems, and more to Ukraine. Poland has pushed the US and NATO allies, to be fully committed and responsive to Ukraine. Poland inspired the effort to provide western tanks to Ukraine and advocates for robust air and missile defense, fighter aircraft, and long-range precision artillery for Ukraine.
Poland is always either the first, or among the first responders to Ukraine. On February 24, 2022, Poland and the rest of the B9 (minus Hungary) call on NATO to invoke Article IV security consultations. By mid-March 2022, Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki and his Czechia and Slovenian counterparts are the first senior foreign officials to arrive in Kiev. Poland is the first to close its airspace to Russian commercial traffic. Poland continuously advocates for Ukraine’s accession to NATO and the EU (that’s not new). Ambassador Cichocki, Poland’s Ambassador to Ukraine, is the only foreign Ambassador to not flee Kiev once the war begins – Poland’s Embassy never closes in Ukraine. Poland is the first to welcome Ukraine to the 3-Seas Initiative group of nations, and has been a leading supporter of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova integration into Western structures, especially into NATO and the EU. Poland is among a few volunteer nations to deploy into Ukraine from 2015, joining the US-led Joint Multinational Training Group Ukraine. In Szczecin, Poland led the upgrade of NATO’s Multinational Corps Northeast to “high readiness.” Poland converted a national division headquarters into NATO’s Multinational Division Northeast. Poland inspired and hosts the Polish/Lithuania/Ukraine multinational brigade, and is partnered with Lithuania and the UK in two separate trilateral arrangements with Ukraine, to strengthen and support Ukraine. Poland is playing a leading role in the EU Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine, which will see thousands of Ukrainians trained in Poland.
PAP/Andrzej Lange
In recent years, Poland has also become a leader in energy security, diversifying energy sources, supplies including massive energy infrastructure undertakings with LNG terminals, nuclear, green energy projects and pipelines. These efforts are multinational, working closely with allies. For example, Poland is helping with energy resilience in the Baltic region, connecting the Baltic states to western Europe’s electric grid, providing non-Russian options. Meanwhile, Lithuania and Poland connected a gas pipeline to allow gas flows from an LNG terminal in Klaipeda to Poland, and/or beyond and which connects the Polish, Baltic and Finish energy markets. Poland is a leader, in setting conditions to decouple from Russian energy receiving zero coal and gas today, and Poland is working with the EU, to extricate from a remaining oil contract with Russia.
President Biden should take the opportunity to underline Poland’s crucial role in supporting US forces in Poland. This allows US forces to rapidly deploy to Poland to deter Russia, reassure allies and to be ready to redeploy to other parts of NATO’s Eastern Front, and to be postured to respond to contingencies. Such US crisis deployments occur to Poland - and they occur very smoothly – twice in 2014, and again twice in early 2022. Thanks to Poland’s political will, and effort to improve access and base capabilities, the US and other allies continue to deploy, stage, or rotate contingency forces to Poland.
President Biden can reaffirm US support to the 2020 US-Poland Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The EDCA focuses on preparing Poland for additional presence and mobility of US and allied forces. It is a forward-looking agreement which includes 114 projects to expand and improve Polish base infrastructure. The agreement is unique among US allies, as Poland has committed billions of its own in US dollars to fund these vital projects.
Preparations for Joe Biden's visit. PAP/Andrzej Lange
President Biden should thank Poland for being a role model for NATO in strengthening its, and therefore, NATO’s vulnerable defenses particularly showing strong leadership on NATO’s Eastern Front. Poland is doubling the size of its Army to 300,000. This includes the recently established 40,000 (growing to 50,000) member Territorial Defense Force (TDF), which is partnering with similar organizations, on NATO’s Eastern Front, and across NATO which is helping NATO to refocus on its former Cold War “total-defense” posture. In recent years, Poland has embarked on an ambitious defense modernization program including Polish-made KRAB 155 mm self-propelled howitzers (many transferred to Ukraine), Polish 120 mm mortars, F35 fighters, Patriot Air and Missile Defense, Abrams and K9 tanks, HIMARS precision rocket artillery, Apache Attack, and Blackhawk and AW149 utility helicopters, NSM coastal artillery and 3 new frigates. No other nation puts its “money where its mouth is,” as much as Poland. For two decades, Poland has spent close to 2% of its GDP on defense (NATO’s target is 2%, which few nations meet during most of this period). In 2022, Poland spent 2.4% and is committing a remarkable 4% in 2023. In 2024, Poland looks on course to reach 5% ($40B). Poland and Lithuania are now calling for NATO to raise its minimum defense spending target to $2.5% GDP. That’s what leadership looks like, and President Biden should commend Poland for its leadership!
PolskieRadio24.pl: What would you recommend President Biden discuss with President Duda, and the B9 in Poland about strengthening Ukraine and the Eastern Front of NATO?
COL(R) Ray Wojcik (former US Army Attaché, to Poland, Kosciuszko Chain Warszawa):
• President Biden should commit to routinely speaking with the American people about why we are fully committed to Ukraine, and to our allies on NATO’s Eastern Front.
• President Biden needs to start saying routinely to America and the Transatlantic, and global allied community that, “America supports Victory for Ukraine!” This effort should be synchronized with a similar Strategic Communications effort with all of Europe, and beyond, for all those assisting Ukraine. There is no real consistent “drumbeat” western narrative of support for Ukraine. That must change if Ukraine is to win.
• President Biden should return America’s National Security Strategy to one focused on preparation for two major conflicts which will guide US defense spending.
• The US-led, Ramstein Coordination Group is helping, but much more needs to be done to provide weapons, ammunition, and maintenance support to Ukraine. The new US-led Security Assistance Group Ukraine (SAGU) is yet to be fully staffed. A Polish general is already assigned. The president should commit to fully staffing not only the SAGU, but also increasing American personnel positions during this war period – especially those personnel covering Ukraine – at US European Command and subordinate Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine and Special Operations component commands. Similar personal upgrades should occur in US embassies in the region.
• The USA leads NATO, there is no question about it, and NATO needs to be led “all in” to supporting Ukraine. Many nations are still on a long-term horizon plan to even reach 2% GDP defense spending! The President should underline that this must change.
• Arm Ukraine - Ukraine needs HIMARS-ATACMS, Artillery, DPICM and sensor-fused munitions, F16s, Leopard 2 tanks and armored fighting vehicles, mobile coastal artillery, more air and missile defense, long range drones. Ukraine needs to acquire dozens of “Gunfighter Gyms” small arms - up to machine gun level - synthetic marksmanship systems to rapidly train new, and provide sustainment training in realistic combat scenarios, which soldiers will more and more face on the battlefield as Ukraine pushes to regain more of its sovereign territory. This will save tens of millions of rounds of ammunition, and make Ukraine even more lethal in close combat with the Russians.
• The US should push NATO to dispense with the defunct (totally breached by Russia), NATO Russia Founding Act.
• The US should lead NATO and push the EU to allow for rapid accession of Ukraine.
• The US must invoke the Defense Production Act at home, and get America on a war- footing in preparation for war with Russia, China, (or both), and encourage the EU to do the same. US stocks are dangerously depleted. NATO’s Secretary General recently stated that the allies cannot keep up with ammunition production requirements to meet Ukraine’s needs, and to replenish stocks. Thus, move the transatlantic community onto a defense production war footing. Take advantage of many latent industrial capabilities in central/eastern Europe (basically found in the B9 nations, including Ukraine when possible), to help speed this effort.
• America should double its $1B commitment to the 3-Seas Initiative (3SI) – a Poland- inspired, vital energy/transport/cyber infrastructure and economic development project among the B9, from Estonia to Bulgaria, including through Austria to Croatia and Slovenia. Ukraine is now a member, and thus, there is even more urgency for the US to upgrade its commitment. The US should encourage similar financial commitments to the 3SI (with no strings), from western Europe.
• Establish a Lend-Lease program, to rapidly arm Poland, and other NATO Eastern Front allies (including Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova). Similar to the US Congressional $50B allocated for Ukraine (to date).
• Establish an annual $3B Foreign Military Financing (FMF) mechanism in Security Assistance for Poland (similar as the US provides to Israel, located in a tough neighborhood like Poland). Provide similar programs at appropriate amounts for the rest of the nations on NATO’s Eastern Front.
• Then, urge the EU to match the US FMF program for allies on NATO’s Eastern Front (and Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova).
• America has finally crossed the mental hurdle, of not placing forces permanently on NATO’s Eastern Front, by assigning permanent forces (though small) to Poland. That is a great start. It’s time the USA lead a western-allied drive to permanently assign forces to central eastern Europe. NATO did not defend the alliance from the beaches of Normandy during the Cold War, and NATO should no longer defend only from western Europe, or depend on “rapid response forces only” in the new era of Russian aggression and its continuing war crimes and atrocities. Thus, permanently assign robust western allied forces to our allies on NATO’s Eastern Front.
• That starts with the entire US Army’s Vth “Victory” Corps Headquarters assigned to Poland (only a portion of it is in Poland today).
• Permanently assign two American armored divisions to NATO’s Eastern Front. One in Poland and one in Romania.
• Lead NATO, to upgrade its 8 trip-wire Battle Groups, along NATO’s Eastern Front, to full Brigade size formations, with enabling units to support.
• Assign a US fighter wing to Poland, based on F35s, include two UAV Reaper squadrons, one in Poland and one based in Romania. Convince western allies, to permanently join the US fighter wing with fighter squadrons, in other nations on NATO’s Eastern Front.
• The US should lead and contribute to NATO establishing 5 Standing NATO Maritime Groups (SNMGs), for 365-day patrolling and response capabilities on the Baltic and Black Seas. NATO remarkably has only 2 SNMGs. This massive NATO maritime gap in security, directly contributed to - especially the Black Sea – becoming a welcome target for Russian aggression.
• The US should push NATO to upgrade Air Policing missions in the Baltic and Black Sea regions to Air and Missile Defense missions – i.e. combine fighter aircraft already in the air policing mission, with western allied modern ground-based and sea-based air and missile defense systems with appropriate rules of engagement (not unarmed aircraft simply following and tracking Russian aggressors).
It is excellent that President Biden is visiting Poland for the second time in less than a year. Poland should be thanked and credited for its commitment to Ukraine, and to the US and Europe. The President should take this moment, to underline that Poland is a great example, of what is needed as far as allied commitment to the defense of Europe, to inspire and strengthen the resolve of NATO and the Western Alliance (particularly among West Europeans). The President must detail the grave danger posed by Russia and the devastating global impacts of Russia’s war on Ukraine and Russia’s wider aggression. The President must advocate Victory for Ukraine. Beyond advocacy though, he must lead the West to start truly acting like it is dedicated to Victory for Ukraine in not only words, but in bold and decisive action.
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About the US President's visit to Poland and about what can be done in connection with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the threat of the so-called NATO Eastern Front (Eastern Flank) COL(R) Ray Wojcik was asked by Agnieszka Marcela Kamińska, PolskieRadio24.pl
