Can Poland flip its new humanitarian comfortable energy into onerous financial or army advantages?

By Michał Stec (revealed in cooperation with the Jagiellonian Membership suppose tank)

Russia’s assault on Ukraine reshapes the worldwide system, with the battle forcing a revision in enthusiastic about the structure of safety in Europe. Poland has a chance to search out itself on the centre of the brand new order, with its constant long-term coverage in the direction of Russia, strategic location, and appreciable assist to its neighbour resulting in a major enchancment within the nation’s picture within the eyes of its Western allies.

Three million refugees in two months

With the outbreak of battle in Ukraine, one of many darkest geopolitical eventualities for Poland turned a actuality. As a NATO frontline state, the burden of the large wave of refugees from war-torn Ukraine fell on its western neighbour. Round 3 million refugees have to this point crossed the Polish border, principally ladies and youngsters, immediately triggering justified considerations about the opportunity of accommodating such throngs of individuals in want.

Earlier than 24 February, Poland was seen as a rustic unwelcoming to foreigners, primarily owing to its refusal to confess a number of thousand migrants from the Center East as a part of the EU’s everlasting relocation mechanism. But the examination on solidarity in the direction of refugees from Ukraine has been handed with flying colors – abnormal Poles have hosted Ukrainians of their properties, footed the invoice for rental prices, and organised materials help at a grassroots degree.

The considerations of Western media have proved unfounded, as even earlier than the battle Poland started to arrange the infrastructure wanted for receiving giant numbers of refugees. ABC information reported on these preparations, whereas additionally emphasising the supposed anti-refugee angle of the Polish authorities.

Media buzz

Simply earlier than the outbreak of battle and within the first days of the battle, Polish army, humanitarian and medical help was already flowing into Ukraine. The intensification of the battle introduced elevated assist by means of official authorities channels in addition to from Polish society, leading to experiences of a brand new “Solidarity” and a “Polish humanitarian empire”.

Bartosz Brzyski writes that Poland’s exercise by way of the scope and scale of help despatched to Ukraine has eclipsed that of different Western nations. And this has not escaped the eye of the UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Company, whose correspondent praised the efforts of Poles providing transport, lodging and meals to Ukrainians arriving of their nation.

The optimistic picture of an empathetic Polish society additionally dominated the image painted by the Western media. Deutsche Welle wrote of the exemplary strategy of Poland, which not solely opened the best way to Ukrainians for protected refugee from the battle, however did significantly extra – introducing a particular legislation only a week after the outbreak of battle (earlier than the EU) providing open entry to the labour market, social advantages and medical care with the identical guidelines as these making use of to Poles.

Because the creator of the article notes, in simply two days Ukrainian refugees have been granted some 123,000 PESEL Polish nationwide identification numbers. The BBC was one other media outlet to recognise the large efforts of Poland’s “military of volunteers”, who headed to railway stations with meals and first-aid objects and ready locations for Ukrainian arrivals to sleep and relaxation.

A very powerful Center Japanese outlet, Al-Jazeera, additionally seen the unprecedented scale of the assistance delivered by Poles. The company’s report describes the tales of individuals welcoming households from Ukraine underneath their roofs in addition to these serving to in on a regular basis conditions corresponding to exchanging foreign money. Such headlines turned widespread within the worldwide media.

Celebrities and politicians

Western politicians additionally recognised Poland’s humanitarian stance, with visits to Warsaw and the railway station in Przemyśl, near the Ukrainian border, changing into customary. Solidarity with Poland and Ukraine was expressed in Warsaw by US Vice-President Kamala Harris, adopted by President Joe Biden. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen are among the many different world leaders to have visited Poland’s capital.

Some Western politicians have additionally tried to bask within the glow of solidarity with refugees regardless of their pro-Russian views and assist for Vladimir Putin. Matteo Salvini, the previous deputy prime minister of Italy, who a number of years in the past posed for photographs in a T-shirt bearing the Russian president’s picture, was a kind of who appeared in Przemyśl.

Celebrities are additionally collaborating in spreading the optimistic picture of Poland. The actor Sean Penn spent a number of dozen hours strolling from Ukraine to Poland, describing his observations on-line. In Poland he met with volunteers, lavishing them with phrases of reward.

Penn additionally established cooperation with the authorities of Krakow by means of the CORE organisation that he based. The settlement encompasses materials and monetary assist for the town, earmarked for serving to Ukrainian refugees.

One other American actor, Liev Schreiber, cooked barszcz for Ukrainians in Przemyśl. Though some may see posing for photographs at reception centres as flashy publicity stunts, there is no such thing as a denying that celebrities are serving to to unfold the message about Russian atrocities and the tragedy of Ukrainian households, whereas additionally reinforcing the optimistic picture of Poland world wide.

A logistics hub

Poland’s picture is a vital instrument of soppy energy in worldwide politics, nevertheless it additionally performs an auxiliary position with respect to the onerous elements figuring out the significance of NATO. The nation’s frontline place has made it a logistics hub for the alliance, by means of which arms and provides are transported to Ukraine. Virtually each supply of ammunition, weapons and medical gear has left for Ukraine from Poland.

Importantly, Poland additionally didn’t abandon the position of logistics hub even when Russia ostentatiously bombed the Ukrainian army base in Yavoriv close to Lviv. Simply 20 kilometres from the Polish border, it was used as a coaching floor for Polish, Ukrainian and multinational NATO models.

The assault has extra symbolic than strategic significance, however regardless of it, Poland didn’t stop arms provides to Ukraine. In contrast to Hungary, for instance, Poland allowed transport of army and humanitarian help. This resulted in threats from Russia, which, particularly within the first weeks of the battle, brazenly criticised Poland for its assist of Ukraine.

Capital or safety

Poland’s steady place within the Euro-Atlantic group is confirmed by bulletins of additional American investments within the nation. In early March, Google declared that it was shopping for the Warsaw Hub buildings and workplace advanced for €582.7 million.

The tech big can be making a cloud expertise growth centre in Poland in addition to making its campus obtainable for start-ups within the Praga district of the Polish capital. This can be used for offering materials and authorized help to Ukrainian refugees.

The e-commerce platform eBay, which beforehand failed within the Polish market, has additionally introduced a serious comeback. It has now determined to supply an improved profile in Polish and implement its personal cost service for Polish patrons. The corporate needs to turn into one of many largest e-commerce platforms within the nation, and inside just a few years intends to develop a distribution centre and start working with Polish suppliers.

Google and eBay’s investments in Poland present a transparent sign to overseas traders that huge capital is protected within the nation, which is an effective place for growing their operations.

It’s price noting that such giant firms pay specific consideration to political dangers when transferring into nations. We will assume that they seek the advice of with the US authorities earlier than getting into a market, confirming that the funds being invested could have American safety ensures hooked up over the approaching decade and extra.

Being on the frontline is a chance

Frontline states in different corners of the globe are capable of develop the innovativeness of their economies, benefiting from the American nuclear umbrella and safety ensures. The nations in query are, in fact, developed economies corresponding to South Korea, Taiwan and Israel.

Their seemingly cursed location and unregulated state of affairs within the neighbourhood ought to act as a deterrent to traders. However the reverse occurs – every of those nations is a technological pioneer and a powerful, modern financial system immune to the unstable worldwide surroundings.

We should not overlook, nonetheless, that South Korea, Taiwan and Israel give their allies one thing greater than a strategic place in an inflammatory area of the world. Above all, they possess giant army capabilities and are technologically superior, which makes a serious contribution to the alliance with the USA. Poland can take their lead, providing Washington one thing greater than a strategic location alone.

The place of a strategic ally of the world’s largest superpower calls for sacrifices and taking over a big burden, particularly in wartime. Poland is passing the check throughout the present armed battle, displaying a considerable amount of solidarity in the direction of Ukraine in addition to a decisive, pro-Western strategy open to working along with its allies

Sooner or later, this might deliver Poland tangible advantages. Above all, it is going to enable us to play a key position, collaborating in selections on the structure of the safety system in Europe.

The unique Polish model of this text might be discovered right here. Translated by Ben Koschalka

Major picture credit score: Krystian Maj/KPRM (underneath CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)