Moscow is closely following Washington’s plans to move part of its contingent from Germany to Poland. This was stated by Deputy Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Alexander Grushko. The diplomat explained that Russia is observing these processes not only in terms of the consequences for regional security and the interests of Russia and its allies, but also in terms of compliance with the Russia-NATO Founding Act.
The Russian Foreign Ministry does not exclude that the American authorities could violate this document, since Washington "consistently destroys" the foundations of security in Europe, such as the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate and Shorter-Range Missiles and the Open Skies Treaty.
“Therefore, we will closely monitor what the US Armed Forces will ultimately get in Europe and, if necessary, we will take all measures to ensure the legitimate interests of Russia's defense and security,” the RIA Novosti diplomat said.
- US Army personnel in Germany, March 4, 2020.
- © Christof STACHE / AFP
Thus, the Russian Foreign Ministry commented on information about the US intention to transfer part of its military contingent from Germany to Poland.
These plans were confirmed the day before by the head of the White House, Donald Trump, speaking at a joint press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda, who arrived in the United States on a visit.
“We will significantly reduce our presence in Germany - to about 25 thousand troops. We had 52 thousand there, ”Trump said, explaining that Poland is one of the few countries fulfilling its budgetary obligations under NATO.
The American president is confident that Germany’s defense spending is comparatively small - now the German authorities allocate a little more than one percent of GDP for military spending, while two percent must be spent on these needs.
Therefore, Washington will reduce the US military presence in Germany, part of the military will be sent home, and part will move to other parts of Europe, including Poland, Trump explained.
According to him, this decision will be a "powerful signal" for Russia. The head of the White House once again noted that the German authorities are "channeling billions of dollars" to buy Russian energy.
“People in Germany don't like this, but they decided to act like that. They spend billions of dollars on the purchase of Russian energy, and then it is assumed that we must protect them from Russia. Will not work. Poland is wonderful. It seems that she does not receive energy from the pipeline from Russia at all. And that sends a clear signal, ”Trump emphasized.
However, the American leader said that the United States is counting on building good relations with everyone, including Russia.
According to a statement published on the White House website in connection with the visit of Polish President Andrzej Duda to the United States, Washington and Warsaw intend to work to strengthen the US-Polish partnership.
It is clarified that the two countries have long-standing strategic relations based on common values and leading their history from the American Revolution of the 18th century.
As the US administration notes, Donald Trump is “working to further strengthen the long-standing partnership between the United States and Poland.” Warsaw, for its part, is making a significant contribution to enhancing the capacity of the North Atlantic Alliance.
- US Ambassador to Poland Georgette Mosbacher and Polish Minister of Defense Mariusz Blaszczak
- © JANEK SKARZYNSKI / AFP
“By implementing a program of modernization of the armed forces worth several billion dollars, using American military equipment and technology, Poland further strengthens NATO’s potential,” the report says.
In addition, Poland “contributes to the critical training of the United States military” and the American allies, as well as “demonstrates exceptional hospitality and support to the American forces deployed on its territory.”
In a joint statement made by the American and Polish presidents following the talks, they announced plans to further deepen cooperation between the countries in the defense field. In particular, we are talking about the implementation of two joint declarations signed in June and September 2019.
The leaders paid special attention to the energy sector. The joint statement highlighted the efforts of the United States and Poland to diversify the energy market, including the supply of US LNG to the Polish side. The partners' plans also include building up cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.
In contrast to Berlin
About plans to reduce the number of US military deployed in Germany, Donald trump announced earlier. According to the head of the White House, the United States incurs "incredible expenses" because of the need to keep 52 thousand troops on German territory, while Berlin is violating its obligations on contributions to NATO.
An irritating factor for Washington is Germany’s participation in the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project with Russia. The gas main is laid along the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
US authorities are demanding that Berlin abandon the project, since the expansion of pipeline deliveries of Russian gas to Europe allegedly threatens the energy security of the Old World.
- © Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP
In December 2019, Donald Trump signed the defense budget for the new fiscal year. The document provides for sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream projects. This led to the suspension of construction, as the Swiss company Allseas, which led the laying of the pipeline, curtailed work.
Washington also does not rule out the imposition of new sanctions against Nord Stream 2. This was announced in May 2020 by the American ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, who soon left his post. The diplomat also called on Berlin to “stop feeding the monster,” speaking of Russia.
The statement of the American ambassador provoked a sharp reaction from the German side, as the press secretary of the German Minister of Economics and Energy Peter Altmayer noted, now is not the time to escalate and threaten to introduce “new extraterritorial and international sanctions sanctions.”
According to experts, the rapprochement between Washington and Warsaw is partly due to the deterioration of German-American relations.
As Dmitry Danilov, head of the European Security Department at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted in an interview with RT, Donald Trump did not hide his plans to reconsider relations with Berlin if the German side did not follow the American course properly.
“For Germany, the plans of the American side are painful, because it needs American military bases. Germany claims to be a leader in Europe, including defense issues. And the withdrawal of the American contingent will weaken its leading role. Not to mention the fact that Germany received serious dividends from the American military presence. Now Germany will face the problem of re-evaluating transatlantic relations and the question of the degree to which compromises with Washington will be made, ”the expert noted.
According to Danilov, in Berlin, as in Paris, the US-Polish rapprochement is negatively evaluated.
“NATO has always had a restrained wing, which advocated a balanced course, it was represented by France and Germany. But the Baltic countries and Poland have always focused on the “containment” of Russia, their position has strengthened after 2014. Moreover, Poland has long spoiled relations with Germany, France and other European neighbors, ”the expert explained.
Key American Ally
Warsaw fully supports Washington’s position on a number of issues, including the struggle of the American side against the Nord Stream 2 project. In March 2020, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Chaputovic called the project a threat to Europe.
According to the Polish minister, the Russian-German gas pipeline allegedly poses a danger to European energy security.
“The gas pipeline will have negative political and economic consequences for the EU and will strengthen our dependence on an unreliable supplier, Gazprom,” the Polish Foreign Minister said.
At the same time, Warsaw is making efforts to expand military cooperation with Washington. So, in September 2019, the Polish Minister of Defense Mariusz Blaszczak announced that the parties had agreed on the locations of the additional American contingent on Polish territory.
- Military exercises Defender Europe 2020 Plus
- © JANEK SKARZYNSKI / AFP
The addition of another 5,000 military personnel Donald Trump and Andrzej Duda to the 5,000 American soldiers and officers already in Poland on a rotational basis was agreed back in the summer of 2019. The Polish side even expressed its readiness to allocate about $ 2 billion for the construction of a permanent US military base in the country.
At the beginning of 2020, Poland’s readiness to acquire a batch of $ 6.5 billion F-35 fifth-generation fighter-bombers from the United States became known.
And in June 2020, the joint US-Polish military exercises Defender Europe 2020 Plus were held on Polish territory. Warsaw and Washington did not stop the maneuvers even from the pandemic of the coronavirus COVID-19.
According to HSE professor Dmitry Evstafiev, the process of rapprochement between Poland and the United States began even before the White House was headed by Donald Trump.
“But with him this process accelerated, Trump’s conflict with Angela Merkel and the deterioration of US-German relations in general influenced this. The process of turning Poland into a key American ally in Europe has acquired forced, hypertrophied forms, ”said the expert in an interview with RT.
As explained by Evstafiev, the current situation is not new in general.
“Poland has traditionally been a destabilizing force in Europe, and this has manifested itself in past eras. So, Poland was a participant in the Munich agreement, which led to the Second World War. Now Polish politicians are hatched by ambitious plans. And it may happen that in Polish-American relations “the tail will begin to wag the dog,” and the United States will no longer be able to control Polish aggression, ”the expert said.
A similar point of view is shared by Dmitry Danilov. According to the expert, Poland was previously considered in the USA as one of the key partners in the context of strengthening the American presence in Europe.
“Most likely, Trump will not take sharp steps now and will leave the question of the withdrawal of troops from Germany in a“ suspended ”state. However, if the plans of the USA and Poland are realized, this can provoke an increase in political and military tension in the region and the world, ”the expert summed up.