The war in Ukraine is continues unabated with horrendous consequences. But somehow, in this part of the world, this war is overshadowed by another ongoing war in Gaza causing equally pathetic human suffering. But the Ukrainian war has more serious geo-political impact as a big power, Russia is at this war. Also, Europe is treating this war as an assault on European values and security. The second reason for such titling the article is the commonness of vulnerability between India and Poland. In fact, Poland is the only European country as a member of NATO and European Union which shares the border with Russia. Likewise, India shares border with China, another big and belligerent country, parts of which have been in dispute.

Poland also expects India to extend a hand in bringing about a ceasefire in Ukraine, although they confess that Donald Trump has the maximum leverage to influence the Russian leadership. But any help in ending the war should be welcome. Poland Deputy Foreign Minister and Secretary of State, Wladyslaw Teofill Batoszewski said on 18 March, 2025, on the fringe of Raisina Dialogue, that “Prime Minister Modi played a role in persuading Vladimir Putin not to use the tactical nuclear weapons”. He also lauded India’s role as a mediator in global peace efforts. He added that India’s relationship with Russia thrives as Putin says it is specially privileged.
On its part, Poland has been preparing to avert an assault by Russian Federation on its territory. As a matter of fact, Poland has been trying to defer a Russian incursion into Poland. They have stepped up the efforts after the second coming of Donald Trump to the office of President. As a frontline state, Poland is deeply committed to the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine. Poland’s national interest is linked to Ukraine’s independence, and by extension the unambiguous defeat of Russian imperialism. Peace in Ukraine should be restored through strength, through force. This is interestingly the formulation made by Prime Minister Modi in the context of recent war with Pakistan. Modi said, “Shanti ka marg shakti se khulega”. (the road to peace is paved by power).
Warsaw has substantially increased their defence spending. It is urging the other NATO countries to spend 3.5 per cent of their GDP on defence like America does; then it will be 1.9 trillion USD 13 times more than Russia. Poland has been supplying weapons to Ukraine on its own and is also routing military support from allied countries through Jasionka, which has been the hub of supporting Ukraine. About 80 per cent of aid to Ukraine goes through this place. Warsaw has sold to Kyiv 54 NATO compatible AHS Krab 155m self-propelled howitzers, donated battle tanks, Mig-29 fulcrum fighter jets to the Ukrainian armed forces. Poland has trained 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers and has provided logistical support.
Poland is aware of the Russian intention in Eastern Europe. Kremlin’s chief ideologue Alexander Dugin formulates a strategy where Poland should not exist as an independent country, nor should Ukraine. Poland’s robust response to this toxic thinking is that Russia is being ever so greedy for territory while having 11 times zones as the biggest country in the world. Poland vows not to let Moscow rule over Kieve (Ukraine), Vilnius (Lithuania), Riga (Latvia), Tallinn (Estonia) and Chisinou (Moldova).
Poland’s armed forces have been on alert ever since the war and are scrambling their aircrafts time and again in response to the threat posed by combined drone and missile attack by Russian forces. It has signed recently a security treaty with France. Warsaw is mobilising relentlessly NATO and EU member countries to counter the Russian aggression in all possible ways.
According to Poland’s current foreign policy strategy, security is the top priority. In the recent presidency of the Council of European Union (January 2025-June 2025), Poland coined the slogan ‘Security Europe’. It consisted of seven pillars. The important one in the context of the ongoing war was resistance to foreign interference and disinformation. Poland has been wary of European security being threatened and of the breakdown in Trans-Atlantic relations. European security was stable and taken for granted, but it is no longer the case, Warsaw argues.
In its foreign policy statement by the Head of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Poland articulates that the world is divided by zones of influence, not zones of alliance, has abandoned the global norms and respect for sovereignty, follows the policy of the rule of law of the strongest, bilateralism has become transactional, and above all, disinformation is rampant equating truth and falsehood. The rivalry of great powers is reducing the smaller and medium countries into pawns on the geo-political chessboard. Warsaw recalls that it has experienced it firsthand 80 years ago in Yalta Conference.
Poland’s foreign policy focuses on strengthening European defence capabilities, restoring Trans-Atlantic unity and involving the Global South. These are critical for the defeat of Russia. Russia should be made to respect the sovereignty of countries in Eurasia. It should bear the costs of war crimes. Failing this, Belarus will soon sink into the ‘Russian Mir’. European aspirations of countries like Moldova, Georgia and Armenia will perish into the thin air.
Although Warsaw is wary of American President Donald Trump’s capricious behaviour and volatile postures, it realises that cooperation with America is indispensable in handling Russian aggression. Recently, America decided to withdraw its troops from Jasionka stirring up anxiety among the NATO allies. But it was not withdrawal of the troops from Poland as they were despatched to other parts of the state were replaced by NATO troops. Poland is working on its own collaboration with America in security, energy and Trans-Atlantic ties. At the same time, Warsaw will strive to retain American presence in Poland by creating favourable conditions to do so.
Arguably, there may be some lesson for India to draw from the predicament as well as the policies of Poland. Poland is stitching strategic alliances – European Union, NATO, France, the Three Seas Strategy and so on. It is doing to save itself from the possible aggression of a big power (Russia), which had once attacked and defeated the country. Has not India’s situation been similar? New Delhi faces a belligerent and expansionist Beijing which claims to retrieve the so-called Chinese empire. Not only India, China has border disputes with quite a few countries out of 14 countries with whom it shares. This is indicative of Chinese appetite for territory.
Furthermore, India has fought and lost a war against China. Like Russia, China is determined to prevent India from becoming a world power. It has lured and instigated Pakistan to go against India. Beijing is trying to cast a String of Pearls, a Chinese strategy to encircle India using military and commercial facilities on land and at sea. In this scenario, India is sticking to its policy of strategic autonomy and leading itself to a kind of isolation. This was partly evident in the war against Pakistan. (7 May-10 May, 2025).
I have argued in this column for a potential, deeper partnership between Poland and India. This is a matter for iteration and reflection by the leadership of both countries.

Email:-------------------dr.dkgiri@gmail.com