Warsaw is on the front line to support Kiev

To mark the start of the second year of the war, Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki visited Kiev with a gift: four state-of-the-art Leopard tanks. “They will help protect Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield,” he said. Since then, several other super-armored vehicles have been forwarded, opening up a vast spectrum of deliveries. Because, with the conflict, Poland has become not only a third supplier of military aid to Ukraine, but also an almost exclusive logistics base for Western weapons. Hundreds of military trucks, vans and ambulances, thousands of guns, howitzers, rocket launchers, missiles wait in huge hangars as rotations follow one another to replenish stocks at Rzeszów air base in the country’s southeast. All around, dozens of engineers and mechanics are put in charge of repairing equipment damaged in the fighting in workshops.

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Director of the Polish Institute for International Affairs (PMSI), slawomir debsky Decrypt: “We are those closest and most concerned with the conflict. Putin reiterates that he wants to destroy Ukraine, with which we share a 500-kilometer border, which would mean, if he succeeds, we on the list Will be next” That’s why Warsaw has begun rearmament at all costs, planning to spend 30 billion euros, or 4% of its GDP, on its defense this year. The expert continues “Poles also know from experience that Russian soldiers are fierce with civil society. That is why we have taken on security roles alongside our neighbors, militarily, as humanitarian and logistically, in international distribution of massive amounts of aid on our streets and ensuring the reception of refugees.”

Every day a train leaves for Kiev

In one year, more than 9 million Ukrainians crossed the border, the largest population movement since 1945.

To mark the start of the second year of the war, Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki visited Kiev with a gift: four state-of-the-art Leopard tanks. “They will help protect Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield,” he said. Since then, several other super-armored vehicles have been forwarded, opening up a vast spectrum of deliveries. Because, with the conflict, Poland has become not only a third supplier of military aid to Ukraine, but also an almost exclusive logistics base for Western weapons. Hundreds of military trucks, vans and ambulances, thousands of guns, howitzers, rocket launchers, missiles wait in huge hangars, while at Rzeszow air base in the country’s south-east, rotations follow one another to replenish stocks . All around, dozens of engineers and mechanics are put in charge of repairing equipment damaged in the fighting in workshops.

read this alsoArtillery, planes, night vision binoculars… what Ukraine lacks to defeat Russia

Director of the Polish Institute for International Affairs (PMSI), slawomir debsky Decrypts: “We are nearest and most concerned with the conflict. Putin reiterates that he wants to destroy Ukraine, with which we share a 500-kilometer border, which would mean, if he succeeds, we on the list Will be next” That’s why Warsaw has begun rearmament at all costs, planning to spend 30 billion euros, or 4% of its GDP, on its defense this year. The expert continues “Poles also know from experience that Russian soldiers are fierce with civilized society. That is why we have played a security role in comparison to our neighbors, militarily, as humanitarian and logistically, internationally. But ensuring the massive distribution of aid and reception of refugees on our streets.”

Every day a train leaves for Kiev

In one year, more than 9 million Ukrainians crossed the border, the largest population movement since 1945. They were welcomed, cared for, fed, housed by the entire country, individuals, companies and the state. “For us, this solidarity was obvious, explains Jan Emerick Rosiszewski, Ambassador in Paris. One and a half million refugees remain in our region, representing about three million people together with the already existing diaspora. Most have received a Social Security numbers and over 200,000 children have been educated.” According to the OECD, Warsaw has dedicated 6 to 8 billion euros, or 2% of its GDP, to this aid. While visiting Warsaw in late February, President Joe Biden said, “God bless Poland for her generosity.”

In the capital, sympathies are still perceptible, though less vibrant than last year. Many shops still display the slogan “We stand for Ukraine”. Official buildings are decorated with blue and yellow flags, sometimes huge ones, such as on one of the façades of the Senate. Warsaw’s municipality just sent 100 metro cars to Kiev, while its cultural department coordinated with other cities and private foundations to protect monuments and works of art. Thus, the city of Kharkiv received 4,000 anti-flood sandbags and 40,000 euros in February to repair the roof of its library. For Warsaw Central Station, overwhelmed with new arrivals in the spring of 2022, it is quiet today. Every day a train leaves for Kiev, arriving in 17 hours. The freedom of movement granted by Brussels to Ukrainians allows them to come and go easily.

Poland is ready to rebuild Ukraine

Over the past year, the life of the refugees has been settled. One in two now has a stable job. “They have been a boon to our economy in a time of acute labor shortage,” says Macys Witacki, president of the Leviathan Employers’ Association. Director of the Polish Economic Institute (PIE), Pyotr Arak, he notes: “14,000 Ukrainian companies have set up in Poland, including 4,000 medium to large. And 7 to 8% of Polish companies have capital from Ukraine, compared to 1 to 2% before the war.” ” According to a study by Banke Pekao, today Poland is preparing itself for the reconstruction of its neighbor, from which it can receive about 40 billion euros per year.

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Meanwhile, in Warsaw, the Ukrainian reality is not confined to these centers where mothers meet to keep their spirits up. It is also characterized by large SUVs and black sedans registered UA, often in upscale neighborhoods and in the car parks of luxury hotels, such as the Belletto or the Marriott. The noisy presence of the elite and their children is making headlines in the Polish popular press, especially as real estate prices rise, English-speaking private schools take over and restaurants become fashionable. Invaded by noisy bands and bling bling… “The war may change Poland forever,” says one of its diplomats. In any case, he aroused his ambitions. Having become NATO’s best student, Warsaw dreams of being a regional power, to Washington’s immense satisfaction, reiterating to Paris’ great displeasure that Europe’s center of gravity is shifting east. Beata Daszynska-Muszka, president of BGK, the Polish development bank, called for caution: “We are seeing worrying signals from Moscow. Half a million Russian troops are ready to attack. This is why geo-strategy, reconstruction or Before talking about trade, let’s send arms to Ukraine, lots of arms. The absolute priority is victory for Kiev.”