Pulaski Commentaries

Although both Sweden and Finland cannot be considered as significant military powers, their full membership in the Alliance will significantly improve NATO’s strategic position vis-à-vis Russia, particularly in its Eastern and Northern dimension.

The United Kingdom is a perfect match for Ukraine for conducting wartime advocacy. Britain needs to project its image as a country with a global impact and has a long track of understanding the Russian threat to security. Zelenskyy – with his Churchillian narrative – will not save Tories from a likely defeat in the next general elections.

In the second round of Czech’s presidential elections held on January 27-28, retired army general Petr Pavel expectedly won over ex-prime minister Andrej Babiš.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, Ukraine’s resistance has produced several stunning reversals in the fortunes of war, drastically limiting the territorial and political gains of its adversary.

Three Western NATO member states – France, the United States and Germany – promised to provide Ukraine with some heavy fighting vehicles. Although, on the one hand, this is good news – after all, a certain mental barrier is broken and a new supply channel is to be established – from a purely military perspective, this is rather a symbolic help.

The State of Qatar's decision to host the biggest and most popular sporting event in the world - the World Cup – was not driven by its love to sport and football, but purely by political calculations.

This year’s summit is described as one of the most important events of the upcoming months for the Biden administration. So where did these changes come from, and do they have a chance to bring benefits to both parties involved?

International response to the barbaric invasion of Ukraine by Russia has been impressive.

After Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022, Hungary has been one of the few members of the Euro-Atlantic community that took a cautious stance in regard to providing Ukraine with political and material support. Budapest’s decision not to send its own lethal weapons to Kyiv and not to allow partners to transport military aid through its own territory has been widely perceived as a breach of the Euro-Atlantic unity and has come under criticism even by the regional partners from the Visegrád Group (V4).

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is again a place of clash over the vision of the Internet as the elections to choose the next head of the organisation are approaching. After 8 years of Chinese leadership, the one of the frontrunner in the elections is a Russian candidate. Does the ITU become a centre of promoting non-western vision of the Internet and therefore will contribute to limit the free flow of information worldwide?  

Following the recent NATO summit and Western sanctions hitting Russia's fossil fuel industry, it seems that climate issue will increasingly affect the development of the armed forces of Western countries.

The NATO Madrid summit, which took place on 29th-30th June was dominated by the hard military security driven by the war in Ukraine. However, the issue of cybersecurity and disinformation was not omitted and the important steps were included both in the final declaration and the new Strategic Concept.

Finland’s bid to gain NATO membership was a direct response to Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, which started on February 24, 2022, has forced Japan to rethink its strategy towards Vladimir Putin’s regime. The previous administration of Shinzo Abe sought a closer cooperation with Russia and engaged with it on both economic and political level, including in the matters of security. However, the new prime minister Fumio Kishida’s clear and open stance against the Russian aggression marks a turning point in the two countries’ relations. This change of attitude is seen in the verbal criticism, extensive sanctions, but also plans to change Russia’s status in Japan’s National Security Strategy, which suggests a long-term perception shift.

A comprehensive reform of the Polish Armed Forces, announced over a year ago, has significantly accelerated since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The Homeland Defence Act (HDA) was first announced by the government in October 2021.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a statement on Sunday that it has attacked "Israeli Mossad training centers" in the Iraqi Kurdistan Autonomous Region with precision-guided ballistic missiles. The IRGC said the operation was in response to the Israeli killing (also in a rocket attack) of two Iranian military advisers on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, on Monday, March 7.

On the night of 3 to 4 March this year, the Russian Federation carried out an attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. This has raised concerns among the public in Western countries about the safety of nuclear reactors.

After 7 days of the military campaign initiated by the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the situation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is deteriorating, the Russians, despite the losses and the unsatisfactory general course of the campaign, are consistently pursuing their operational goals, i.e. encircling Kiev from the west and east.

Unleashing its war machine in Ukraine, Russia has challenged the foundations of the international security order. It must be defended, with the Western democracies leading this fight. It starts with overwhelming support for Ukraine. Second, Russian regime must be confronted and contained – in a sustained manner. Third – Western alliances need to be resolute and strengthened, including through expansion.

Russian aggression against Ukraine continues. The second day of the conflict, like the first one, began with massive missile attacks on Ukrainian military targets (e.g.  air defence systems). The land offensive continued along all operational axis.

On February 24, 2022 at around 5 am, following months of psychological pressure and hybrid operations that pick up pace in October and November 2021 (before that, a similar type of operation happened in May and April 2021), Russia has decided to launch a full scale invasion of Ukraine. This was in fact the fulfilment of the worst-case-scenario, predicted by the current US administration, to a Kremlin imposed crisis on the Russo-Ukrianian borders.

Hong Kong has drawn the world’s attention again as the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the violation of fundamental freedoms in the city on 20 January 2022.

Announcement – The final Webinar of “The V4 towards NATO Strategic Concept and Strategic Compass” grant will take place on the 9th of September at 12:00 CEST

Traditionally, NATO summits are the landmark events for the entire organisation – unlike for example in the case of the European Union, they normally take place only every few years and thus the pressure to come up with strategically oriented decisions is very strong (and usually delivered upon). What is the initial scoresheet of the summit held “in the pivotal time for our Alliance” on June 14th, 2021?

Only those, who want to practice the three wise monkeys pose (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil) can continue pretending that a direct confrontation with Russia is not upon us. No exercise in wishful thinking can obscure the threat to the post-Cold War stability, brought about by Russia’s recent actions targeting Ukraine, the West and international norms in general.

Recent meetings and decisions taken by NATO and European institutions have provided more reasons for optimism for those who care about the condition of the Transatlantic community of states. The new US administration is walking the walk. It is methodically outlining its key strategies and reinvigorating alliances and partnerships. This is hugely important because there is no time to waste, as both Russia and China are openly challenging the West and its values.

Alexei Navalny returned to Russia on January 17, 2021. The oppositionist decided to take this step, despite the attempts from the Russian elite to discourage him from doing so.

The White Paper is the final part of “Energy security and effective strategic communication the civil and governmental actors: V4+Ukraine” project carried out in cooperation with International Visegrad Fund and partner organizations from V4 states and Ukraine: Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association from Slovakia, Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI” from Ukraine, KNO Česko, spol. s r.o. from Czech Republic, and Center for Fair Political Analysis from Hungary."

The project entitled “Energy security and effective strategic communication of civil and governmental actors: V4+Ukraine” was carried out between February 2018 and June 2019 at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation, as part of the organizations “Economy & Energy” program. The project was realized with five partner organizations: the Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia), Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI” (Ukraine), KNO Česko, spol. s r.o. (Czech Republic) and Center for Fair Political Analysis (Hungary). It was supported financially by the International Visegrad Fund.

The White Paper is the final part of “Energy security and effective strategic communication the civil and governmental actors: V4+Ukraine” project carried out in cooperation with International Visegrad Fund and partner organizations from V4 states and Ukraine: Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association from Slovakia, Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI” from Ukraine, KNO Česko, spol. s r.o. from Czech Republic, and Center for Fair Political Analysis from Hungary."

The White Paper is the final part of “Energy security and effective strategic communication the civil and governmental actors: V4+Ukraine” project carried out in cooperation with International Visegrad Fund and partner organizations from V4 states and Ukraine: Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association from Slovakia, Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI” from Ukraine, KNO Česko, spol. s r.o. from Czech Republic, and Center for Fair Political Analysis from Hungary.”

The White Paper is the final part of “Energy security and effective strategic communication the civil and governmental actors: V4+Ukraine” project carried out in cooperation with International Visegrad Fund and partner organizations from V4 states and Ukraine: Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association from Slovakia, Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI” from Ukraine, KNO Česko, spol. s r.o. from Czech Republic, and Center for Fair Political Analysis from Hungary.”

In May 2019, Poland’s Minister of National Defence announced that the Polish government had sent a letter of request to the U.S. Department of Defence regarding the procurement of 32 F-35A multirole fighters. Selection of the next generation aircraft is of great importance for any state. Currently, Poland and its Armed Forces have reached the turning point which will have an enormous impact for the entire defence system of the country; its economic and technological development, particularly in the field of aircraft and missile industry; as well as the political relations with allied nations and Poland’s security environment in the future.

On January 19th 2018, U.S Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis unveiled the U.S. National Defense Strategy.

On December 18th 2017 President Donald Trump unveiled the new National Security Strategy of the United States.

On Novemebr 8 and 9 North Atlantic Council (NAC) ministerial level meeting was held in the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels.

The President of the United States Donald Trump visited Warsaw, the capital of Poland, on Thursday, the president’s first trip to the Central-Eastern Europe (CEE) since his inauguration.

Nuclear arsenal continues to play a narrow but crucial role in the U.S. military strategy.

ASIA Aleppo: tens of thousands escaping, mass executions and hundreds missing The Syrian Army, with the support of their allies, has retaken eastern Aleppo, where only a small number of

  ASIA A second month in the siege of Mosul After initial successes, an Iraqi Army and allies-led offensive has eased down. Entry of military forces into Mosul has started

The President Obama Administration decided to eliminate Taliban leader Mullah Mansour after his reluctance to continue peace talks with Afghan government.

On November 24, 2015, the Turkish Air Force shot down a Russian SU-24 bomber. The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, warned that this incident will bear ‘‘significant consequences’’ on bilateral relations.

Conclusion of the tender for medium-range Ballistic Missile Defense (‘BMD’, codename “Wisła”) creates both opportunities and challenges for Poland’s defense industry.

Over the last decade Russia has considerably increased its arms trade with Latin American countries, overtaking U.S. as the region’s largest weaponry supplier.

Traumatized by ongoing fights in Ukraine the Western community continues to challenge Russia diplomatically and with ongoing sanctions.

Recent developments in Ukraine confused and shocked the public opinion.

Events in recent days have shown that despite the considerable advances of freedom and democracy, and even with the many safeguards of stability created in the decades since World War II, the European neighborhood can still be a very dangerous place.

In a recent article (Putin’s War in Crimea Could Soon Spread to Eastern Ukraine, New Republic, March 1, 2014), Russian-American journalist Julia Ioffe suggests that Moscow’s invasion of Ukrainian Crimea was an action we should have anticipated, following Victor Yanukovich’s flight from Kyiv, because “Russia was, is, and will be an empire with an eternal appetite for expansion.