30 June 2022
Klaudia Zgiet, Polsat: I would like to ask what is NATO’s new strategy against Russian aggression?
Ambassador Brzezinski: Well, Klaudia, it’s all about collective defense, all about bolstering our troop presence around Europe, whether in Poland with a permanent presence at the US Army headquarters in Poznan, the new Garrison that will be there, and the supply depot, but also adjustments we made in Romania, in the Baltics, in Spain taking US Navy destroyers from four to six; two additional F 35 squadrons being deployed on air bases in England. It is all about a collective bolstered approach as we look towards the crisis in Ukraine.
Klaudia Zgiet, Polsat: Okay. What are the plans for the part in Poland?
Ambassador Brzezinski: Well, the plans are, first of all, to make it permanent. I think that is a historic designation, because for years people focused on Poland’s Security, like my late father – and that was the Presidential Medal of Freedom given to him by President Carter … He fought for Poland’s freedom and independence. For years, those fighting for Poland’s freedom had hoped for the designation “permanent” to be applied to US forces coming through Poland. That has now been done. But in addition to that, the headquarters, the garrison and the supply depot, are all meant to advance interoperability between the US Army and the US military on the one hand (with) Polish military, but also other militaries that will be here from NATO and the Enhanced Defense Forces. So advancing interoperability and really meshing together what is called “command and control”. So everyone is dancing to the same sheet of music, as they say.
Klaudia Zgiet, Polsat: What do you think about the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO?
Ambassador Brzezinski: I used to be US Ambassador to Sweden. I was there for four years. I know how Sweden politically, culturally, in a security sense, embraced neutrality. And this is why this adjustment is so important, because the Swedes and the Finns have made a determination that the future of their security self interest is with NATO, and not as neutral states. That shows how scary it is what Putin has done, not just in Ukraine, but throughout the region of Central and Eastern Europe. Putin’s neighbors fear him. And you have to ask yourself, what kind of leader embraces their neighbors fearing them? That is what Putin has done. And so the logical results: permanent presence in Poland; Sweden and Finland going into NATO. He should do the math.
Klaudia Zgiet, Polsat: And what are the arrangements after the NATO summit?
Ambassador Brzezinski: Well, the arrangements are a host of exercises and training deployments in Poland and throughout Europe; so that we can advance inter-operability. And what that means is working together so that two soldiers, the Polish soldier and American soldier won’t let language or different training backgrounds or even different equipment, stop them from protecting against the Russian threat that is present in Ukraine. That is what’s planned.
