Poland's top general warns of Russia preparing for NATO conflict
- Russia is preparing for conflict with NATO, fully aware that the Alliance is a defensive structure, said Gen. Wiesław Kukuła, the head of the Polish Armed Forces General Staff. He emphasized that Russia will exploit any weakness of the Alliance, such as internal conflicts, to achieve its goals.
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A conference celebrating the 25th anniversary of Poland's joining of NATO, titled "Ensuring Security, Responding to Challenges," was held in Warsaw and organised by the Kazimierz Pułaski Foundation. Participants in one of the discussion panels included Gen. Wiesław Kukuła, head of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, and Michał Szczerba, chairman of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Russia is preparing for confrontation
Highlighting the threat from Russia, the head of the General Staff warned that Moscow is gearing up for a conflict with NATO. "With utmost clarity, we see the changes happening in Russia and draw our conclusions from them. To speak frankly, Russia is preparing for a conflict with NATO, fully aware that the Alliance is a defensive structure," he warned.
He underscored that Poland is countering the threat by swiftly transforming its armed forces and bolstering societal resilience. "Our goal is to not only dramatically enhance our defensive capabilities but also to sustain their potential and readiness against long-term pressures. The foundation of our deterrent strategy is the real capabilities of the armed forces and the nation's defensive preparedness," he added.
Russians will exploit every weakness
According to him, Russia's readiness for aggressive actions is determined by three vectors. The first is the ideology vector. "It’s openly manifested and leaves us with no illusions about the real and harmful intentions towards us," he said.
The second vector, as the general indicated, is the force vector, relating to the potential of the Russian armed forces. "Despite significant losses in Ukraine and a major commitment of its forces there, Russia is reorganizing its troops and significantly ramping up its defense industry, effectively transitioning it for wartime. It is clearly amassing resources for a prolonged high-intensity conflict," he observed.
The third and, in Gen. Kukuła's view, the least predictable, is the opportunity vector. "Russia is an opportunist and will exploit every chance and arising weakness that can be operationalized to serve its own interests," he stated.
NATO must not lose coherence
According to the head of the SGWP, this is exactly why NATO needs to deter the aggressor with readiness for immediate defence. "We cannot afford to lose cohesion in the Alliance. If that were to happen, the chances for Russian advantage would significantly increase. This would send a clear signal to the Kremlin to initiate offensive actions," he emphasized.
Gen. Kukuła also pointed out the importance of fulfilling the obligations in Article 3 of the North Atlantic Treaty. "NATO member states must develop their defensive potential and contribute equally to its maintenance," he noted.
