The war in Ukraine has led to geopolitical shifts in Europe, shifting NATO's center of gravity eastward, Washington Post columnist Ishan Tharoor writes on Friday in an analysis following Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Poland. In an article titled “How Poland Became the New ‘Centre of Gravity’ in Europe,” Tharoor draws attention to the strengthening relations between Poland and Ukraine and words of gratitude for Warsaw's role in supporting Kyiv expressed by Zelensky on Wednesday in Poland. My article on Poland’s growing importance in NATO is featured in ⁦⁦@washingtonpost⁩ https://t.co/XBnngP7QyE — Chels Michta (@chels_michta) April 7, 2023source: PAP, Washington Post“It’s not just Zelensky who appreciates the help. Over the course of the past year of the war, Poland has emerged as a key bulwark in the West’s confrontation with Russia. Beyond accommodating Ukrainian refugees, it has been a major conduit of aid and supplies to Ukraine, a vocal advocate for Kyiv’s initiatives to join both NATO and the European Union, and a vociferous critic of Western Europe’s perceived softness toward the Kremlin,” the author writes.“Indeed, the war in Ukraine has ushered in a kind of geopolitical shift in Europe, moving “NATO’s center of gravity”, the author writes citing the opinion of CEPA think tank expert Chels Michty.At the same time, the author notes that the political leadership is trying to use Poland's new position and the sense of “moral superiority” due to the war in Ukraine to criticize the European Union and its proceedings regarding the dispute over the rule of law.At the same time, he draws attention to the speech of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Heidelberg, in which he stated that the current historical moment should upset the status quo and dissuade the idea of ​​closer integration and making the EU a “superstate”.The author also quotes the diagnosis of the British journalist Neal Ascherson, who stated that "Putin firmly attached Poland to the West" and it shall not change after the elections in autumn.

Source: Washington Post April 07, 2023 18:28 UTC