30 June 2022
Tomasz Dumowski, TVP Info: Mr. Ambassador, welcome: first of all, to celebrate independence – in a few days, the American Independence Day. We got used to thinking that independence is something obvious, and recently we realize that they are dangerous, but especially in Eastern Europe. But what do our countries think about this war? about the Russians? Are they afraid of the war?
Ambassador Brzezinski: Tomasz, first of all, welcome to you, and welcome to your viewers. “Witamy” to America’s house in Poland, the Chief of Mission Residence, the CMR, as we call it here in Warsaw. I’m so pleased to welcome you and all your viewers to our Independence Day celebration. What does independence mean? It means something very valuable. It means something that we learned we have to protect. And that is why it is so symbolic to me that President Biden announced yesterday that US forces will be stationed permanently in Poland, because independence is valuable. You have right here the Presidential Medal of Freedom that my late father, Zbigniew Brzezinski, received from President Carter in 1979 – the Presidential Medal of Freedom, because they were also fighting for freedom and independence. And that was decades ago. And so we have an historic announcement yesterday by President Biden and he was speaking on behalf of all Americans, when he said that we will protect every inch of NATO territory, including Poland. So we are with you. “Za wasza wolnosc i nasza” means something to us. That is what independence means, Tomasz.
Tomasz Dumowski, TVP Info: But another question is, yesterday we heard that President Joe Biden announced that a permanent command of the Fifth Corps US Army will be established in Poland. But the question is: When?
Ambassador Brzezinski: Well, the headquarters is already in Poznan. It just wasn’t permanent, until this day. And now there will be a new garrison attached to it and a new supply depot as well. So those are a number of infrastructural footprints of the US Army that will be permanently in Poland. And permanent means enduring. That’s important. We have more than 10,000 US soldiers in Poland now, all on Polish bases spread out all across the country. That’s not an accident. We want to do that, because we want to be ready. And we want to be ready permanently for Poland. We live at a time, Tomasz, when America and Poland share the same freedom. And what we saw with regard to what Putin has done in Ukraine, we have to protect independence and freedom. And that’s why America joins with Poland. That’s why over history Poland joined with America. It is about collective defense.
Tomasz Dumowski, TVP Info: We were talking about freedom, about Polish and American relationships. And the last question is about Ukraine. Because we do a lot, you do a lot as a country to protect Ukraine, but what more can global governments do to end this war as fast as possible?
Ambassador Brzezinski: Well, America does a lot for Ukraine, but Poland does a lot for Ukraine, Tomasz. I was in Washington last week. And I had a meeting almost for an hour with President Joe Biden. Because he wanted to say thank you to the people of Poland for what the people of Poland are doing for the Ukrainian refugees. He wanted to talk with me about what inspires the people of Poland to place so many families, so many refugees into their homes and their apartments. And what I said to the President in the Oval Office, is that for Poland this is 1939 again. And yet this is a moment when, unlike in 1939, the Poles can stand victorious. They can stand for freedom, and deliver and they’re doing it this time for the people of Ukraine. It’s a beautiful story. And it’s not just a Polish problem. It’s important for the rest of the world to share in and join in this international problem. It’s not just a Polish problem. It’s an international problem. And it’s imperative for others to share in and join in the help of Ukraine, to pay for it, and ultimately, the rebuilding of what we know will be a free Ukraine.
