Is the center of gravity in Europe shifting east? As Russia's aggression continues, one nation is stepping up like no other. Poland is not just on the front lines; it's redefining European security for the 21st century.

In this episode of Hunter's War, we're joined by Mateusz, Chief Strategy Officer at the Community of Democracies, to discuss Poland's military modernization and its emerging role as a leader in Europe. We examine how Poland's traumatic history has shaped its robust security posture, resulting in defense spending that surpasses that of many NATO allies. We discuss the multi-domain strategy, encompassing investments in military capabilities and one of NATO's top cyber commands, as well as fostering deep societal resilience. Mateusz breaks down the response to Russia's hybrid warfare, the critical importance of domestic defense production, and why Poland's unwavering support for Ukraine is not just ethical, but deeply strategic. 

Quotes:

• ”The center of gravity of Europe is shifting to the East. I think Poland is at the center of that shift.” 

• ”We try to prepare for the next wars rather than the past one.” 

• ”Our support to Ukraine, it's not only an ethical choice, but also a very strategic one.” 

• ”I'm still a bit worried about this notion of 'business as usual'… understand that Russia is not our partner.” 

• ”Poland went from an Iran level of economic development to a Japan level in a single generation.” 

3 Actionable Tips:

• Bolster Domestic Defense Production: To ensure national and continental security, nations must reduce reliance on external parties for crucial military supplies. It is ”an absolutely crucial issue to overcome” the inability to produce ammunition and other key components from scratch, as wartime transfers are unreliable. 

• Foster Societal Resilience: National security isn't just about military hardware; it's about the readiness of the populace. Encouraging and facilitating voluntary civilian training strengthens a nation's ability to cope with any crisis. 

• Counter Hybrid Threats Diplomatically: To combat hybrid warfare, such as sabotage instigated by foreign agents, use diplomatic tools decisively. Poland's push to suspend the Schengen zone travel rights for Russian diplomats is a prime example of limiting adversaries' operational freedom. 

#Poland #EuropeanSecurity #NATO #Geopolitics #Russia #Ukraine #Defense #MilitaryModernization #Hunter'sWar #ForeignPolicy #InternationalRelations #Europe #WeimarTriangle #HybridWarfare #CyberSecurity