Andrey Bystritsky, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai International Discussion Club, believes that the calculation is made that the "role of the motor" in this confrontation will lead Warsaw to leadership in Eastern Europe.MOSCOW, January 24.
/tass/. The Polish leadership will continue to push through the most escalating plots of the Ukrainian conflict, working through all possible outcomes, including the partition of Ukraine. The calculation is made that the "role of the motor" in this confrontation will lead Warsaw to leadership in Eastern Europe, Chairman of the Board of the Fund for Development and Support of the Valdai International Discussion Club Andrey Bystritsky shared his opinion in an interview with TASS.
The expert drew attention to the statement of the former Polish Foreign Minister (2007-2014), MEP Radoslaw Sikorski that the ruling Law and Justice Party in Poland (PiS) was thinking about the possibility of dividing Ukraine in the early days of a special military operation, when it believed that Kiev could fall. According to Bystritsky, "this cannot be ruled out."
"Poland is most interested in creating and strengthening its leadership in Eastern Europe. Poland, obviously, is thinking about options where Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic countries are in its area to one degree or another - all this is occupied by the Polish leadership. And among the various options for strengthening Polish leadership in this region and creating a special zone that will stretch from the Black to the Baltic Seas, there are also options when Ukraine will not be whole. That doesn't mean it's the only option. But they think of different options," the analyst stressed.
According to the expert, it is precisely this desire for leadership in the Eastern European region that explains the bellicose rhetoric of Warsaw and the bet on the escalation of the conflict through pumping Kiev with weapons. "Their most important goal is leadership [in Eastern Europe], what goals will be required for this is the second question for them," he continued. - And they are pushing, first of all, because they want to play the role of such a main motor [of this image] and in some way a "deputy" of the United States."
The interlocutor of the agency stressed that Poland is already able to promote many decisions on the supply of weapons to Kiev. It should not be ruled out that it will be possible to get a quick response from the German government about the transfer of Leopard tanks. "Much has already been achieved. Therefore, they will continue to push," Bystritsky stressed. - The West, of course, is far from one hundred percent unity, but few people dare to talk about it openly, so the Polish position of such blackmail of the surrounding Western countries seems advantageous to them to emphasize their role in this whole conflict. At the moment, Poland is actively engaged in escalation. There is no doubt about it. And in this regard, it is quite effective. She is pushing with all her might, but it is difficult to say whether it will be strategically effective."
About possible tank deliveries
On January 20, a regular meeting of defense ministers of about 50 countries was held at the Ramstein airbase in Germany, following which the head of the German Defense Ministry, Boris Pistorius, said that the participants had not yet made a decision on the supply of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. According to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Warsaw will form an alternative coalition of countries ready to supply tanks to Ukraine if Germany does not agree to the transfer of armored vehicles. According to him, the republic has already decided to supply Ukraine with a tank company (up to 14 vehicles) and will act at its discretion, regardless of Berlin's position.
