26 August 2022
Ambassador Brzezinski: Radomir, great to see you again. The last time we saw each other was at Open’er. up in northern Poland. That was amazing. Radomir, I’m here at Campus to share a message, a message that the American people see a special capacity in the Polish people, the capacity of reactive mobilisation. What that is, is the ability to react fast and comprehensively to a crisis – and not every country can do it. In some examples of crisis management, the reaction is delayed, not in Poland. After February 24, this nation came together and especially young people went to the border. Especially young people drove Ukrainian families to a destination: whether in Gdynia or in Poznan, or in Krakow, Wroclaw, wherever to give them shelter over their heads. That is a special capacity. That is an asset of Poland. Just like innovation is an asset of Poland. Just like economic endurance and durability is an asset of Poland. We, the Americans, have shown that capacity in our past: the race to the moon when the country came together and supported a technological revolution to put a man on the moon. Our country came together again after Pearl Harbor. Poland has come together in 2022 to reactively mobilize to support the Ukrainian refugees. We Americans see it, and it’s beautiful.
Radomir Wit, TVN24: Thank you for these words, Mr. Ambassador. I also would like to ask about something which was very significant. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine more than half a year ago you needed solidarity between European countries, between democratic countries. Is this solidarity and unity still visible in your opinion, Mr. Ambassador?
Ambassador Brzezinski: Radomir, I have to particularly shout out my President, President Biden, who I think has been so effective and so savvy in maintaining Alliance unity. You know that every country with whom we have relations, that we have shared interests, we have differing interests. So it’s a process of balancing sometimes and the President has maintained a unity of purpose, and a shared definition of the challenge among very different countries, as it pertains to Ukraine. This crisis may endure. I hope it ends tomorrow, but it may endure and that alliance unity is so critical. Poland has been, as a frontline country, a centrally important part of that alliance.
Radomir Wit, TVN24: I asked about this because of the challenges – for example, lack of supplies of oil and gas and many things which cause us to have challenges, to have quite tough days. Which challenges are the most important in your opinion, Mr. Ambassador?
Ambassador Brzezinski: Well, there’s challenge in terms of we don’t know what Putin is going to do next. We have a pathological person in charge of a military invasion of a sovereign nation, and we’re seeing video as if it was out of World War Two. So the hardest part is just trying to address “What is this person going to do next?” but I want to tell you as the Chief of the US mission in Poland: We are ready, Radomir, for any contingency. Our troops here are deployed all across the country, all on Polish bases, and that’s not an accident. We are ready for any eventuality, and we hope nothing happens. “Polska jest bezpieczna, Polska jest zabezpieczona.” (Poland is safe, Poland is secure) because we are ready and shoulder to shoulder with the Poles.
Radomir Wit, TVN24: That’s the most important, I think, in this particular situation. But just to sum up, I would like to ask about Putin’s future. I mean, there is no scenario in which some of the leaders of democratic countries are sitting at the same table Putin.
Ambassador Brzezinski: Putin is a KGB agent, who is the son of a KGB agent, who has committed genocide in Ukraine. I don’t see him sitting at any table of democratic respected leaders ever. War crimes have been committed that have to be answered for. Things that we are just beginning to investigate, will be chased down. No terrible deed will go forgotten and unpunished. But we have to work together to win this war, and end this crisis. That’s first and foremost, what we’re doing together with our special friends, the Poles.
