[Global Issue+] Poland, the Frontline of the New Cold War, Welcomes US Troops and Why

On the 24th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump (right) and Polish President Andrzej Duda (left) held a press conference following their summit at the White House in the United States. At this event, President Trump announced that some of the U.S. troops being reduced in Germany would be deployed to Poland.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Recently, the United States announced a reduction of its troops stationed in Germany and the redeployment of some of them to Poland, attracting international attention. Unlike other European Union (EU) countries, Poland has declared that it will bear the costs of hosting U.S. troops and has actively pursued closer military ties with the U.S., including the earlier introduction of the Aegis Ashore missile defense system, one of the U.S. missile defense (MD) systems.

According to foreign media such as CNN, on the 24th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump held a summit with Polish President Andrzej Duda at the White House and stated at a press conference, "We will reduce U.S. troops in Germany," adding, "Some will return to the mainland, and some will go to other regions, including Poland." Since last year, Poland has been actively seeking to host additional U.S. troops by selecting deployment locations and committing to cover the hosting costs. Despite strong opposition from Russia, Poland is moving forward with the introduction of the U.S. MD system.

Poland's pro-American stance is unique even within the EU. Aligning with the conservative trend of the Trump administration, Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), which advocates for abortion bans and exclusion of sexual minorities, has a rather strained relationship with the EU. Nevertheless, Poland's far-right conservative forces have strengthened their power by winning various elections, and the relationship with the U.S. is growing closer. There are growing concerns that Poland, which served as a frontline satellite state of the former Soviet Union during the Cold War after World War II, may now become a satellite state of the U.S.

Despite these concerns, Poland's pro-American actions are analyzed to stem from the shock caused by Russia's forced annexation of Crimea in 2014. According to the BBC, PiS gained overwhelming support in the 2015 elections immediately following the Crimea annexation, and this event became a catalyst for far-right parties to come to power across Eastern Europe. During Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea, neither the EU nor the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) took any military action. To this day, the EU's measures against Russia have been limited to economic sanctions, with no efforts to nullify the annexation of Crimea or to apply military pressure on Russia.

Appearance of US troops stationed in Poland
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Moreover, with the United Kingdom, one of the founding members of the EU, leaving the union, concerns about the multilateral security system in Europe centered on the EU and NATO have greatly increased. Consequently, Eastern European countries like Poland have concluded that it is better to cooperate individually with the U.S. on military and security issues, even if relations with the EU deteriorate. This is compounded by the reality of the threat posed by Russia, which has demonstrated strategic weapons capabilities such as supersonic missiles and new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) following the annexation of Crimea.

Poland's urgency has increased further because the Republic of Belarus, which has served as a buffer between Poland and mainland Russia, is negotiating a merger with the Russian Federation. Belarus, whose economy has largely been absorbed by Russia, has been negotiating a concrete merger plan with the Russian government since last year. If Belarus is annexed following Crimea, Poland will face a direct border with Russia and fears that Russia will deploy various strategic weapons in the region to pressure Poland, posing a significant threat to its national security.

Furthermore, Poland has only recently freed itself from Russian influence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and Polish citizens harbor deep fears of Russia. Poland was partitioned and dissolved in 1795 by Russia, Austria, and the Kingdom of Prussia, the predecessor of modern Germany, and was under Russian imperial rule for a long time. After briefly regaining independence following World War I, Poland was again partitioned and occupied during World War II under a secret agreement between Nazi Germany and Stalin's Soviet regime. These historical grievances have fostered strong resentment toward Russia, and today, the Polish military's primary adversary is known to be the Russian army. Unlike other EU countries, Poland's active pursuit and welcoming of additional U.S. troop deployments are rooted in these complex issues involving Russia.