“The heart of Europe beats stronger today in Warsaw and Kiev than in Berlin and Paris” – Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said during the inauguration of the 13th Polska Wielki Projekt Congress, which began in Warsaw. At the same time, he pointed to Russia as a threat not only to Poland, but to the entire free world.
“Today, new rules are being written before our eyes and we cannot afford wisdom and reflection to come late. We cannot wait for the twilight. Why? Because this twilight may be the twilight of Europe, the twilight of the civilization we know” – the head of the Polish government said, adding that “the era of post-politics is ending before our eyes.” “Politicality reminded itself of itself by taking on the monstrous face of war. The world was again divided into two blocs. The dignity of the human person, individual freedom and democracy are the values we uphold in Europe. Modern Russia is their negation. Even though the West and the East are no longer separated by the Berlin Wall nor the Iron Curtain, the differences between these two civilizations are becoming clearer than ever. I am convinced that the stake of this war is not only the survival of Ukraine, but also, and perhaps above all, the future of the entire West, of the entire free world. One thing is certain – “The result will decide the end of an era. Will it be the end of Putin’s Russia or the twilight of Western civilization? It also depends on us” – Morawiecki emphasized.
The Polish Prime Minister pointed out that “Europe is in crisis” and that “it is up to us to write the continuation of its history. Will it be its decline? Or will it be a renaissance?”.
He compared Europe to a mighty tree whose strength lies in its roots. “The unique triad of Greek democracy, Roman law and Christian ethics created an invention that serves us to this day – Western civilization, the civilization of the free world. It is our heritage, and at the same time the best deposit for the future” – he argued.
“However, will we, as a European community, realize this extraordinary potential? Will Europe stand on the stage of the global theater?” – he wondered. “Today, there is primarily one deadly threat for Europe: the victory of Russia, which is the antithesis of all the values we cherish. Russia, which does not want development, but a return to the era of imperial conquest. It does not want new technologies, only old lies. It does not want privacy and security, it only wants full surveillance, police of thought and private armies. Therefore, we must remember that the whole narrative of a new Europe in a new age of humanity can quickly collapse. It may become a fable, crushed under the onslaught of one of mankind’s eternal curses – imperialism” – he warned.
Prime Minister Morawiecki did not conceal that “in a short time we have led to the actual awakening of Europe, which has been in a sweet slumber for decades”. He also pointed out that “those who threaten Europe can only be strong through its weakness. They can dream imperial dreams only when Europe sleeps.”
“Russia did not start building its empire again yesterday. Having recovered from the collapse of the Soviet Union, it systematically pushed further and further” – he noted. “If a hundred years from now, the words of a Polish politician are included in world history textbooks, they will most likely be the words of the late Lech Kaczyński: ‘Today Georgia, tomorrow Ukraine, the day after tomorrow the Baltic states, and then maybe it’s time for my country, Poland’. The West slept through the awakening of Russia, even when it gathered strength even at the expense of the misery of its own citizens, built an army, pacified the Caucasus, aroused the demons of nationalism, attacked Georgia and subjugated other countries, the West still tried a naive policy of resets. When Russia was getting ready to partition Ukraine, many Western countries were still selling it weapons.It was only when Ukraine put up a heroic resistance and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, led by Poland, rushed to her rescue, dragging the entire NATO with them, that the West finally stood against Russia. They finally understood that this clash cannot be lost” – he recalled.
“The heart of Europe beats stronger today in Warsaw and Kiev than in Berlin and Paris” – Mateusz Morawiecki emphasized, pointing out that “a historic opportunity has opened before us: Ukraine will regain sovereignty and freedom, and Poland – security on its borders, and Europe – a century of peace unthreatened by Russian imperialism”. “It is necessary to put a stop to Russian imperialism. At the same time, we must strive to ensure that the borders of the EU coincide with the geographical borders of Europe” – he appealed.
“The stake of this war for Poland is a change of geopolitical trajectory, a chance one in hundreds of years to move the east to the east, to expand Europe, to change the political geography of our continent, to construct a new security architecture, to draw a new map of Europe, free from the permanent threat from Russia, draw Ukraine, and perhaps some time later Belarus, into the orbit of European structures, consolidate cooperation with the United States so that the Atlantic world stands stably on two legs, become a pivotal state in the EU in the field of security policy, transport, energy and transregional cooperation” – the head of the Polish government said. He also expressed his conviction that “a new geopolitical order for Europe will emerge from this war”, as “Russian aggression has become a catalyst for radical political and economic changes”. “In this war, the sides are good and evil” – he concluded. At the same time, he pointed out that Russia is a threat not only to Poland, but also to the entire free world, and that only the defeat of Russian tyranny can save the Russian soul.
“Concern for the sovereignty of our homeland leads to the construction of Europe’s security structures. Only Europe, where nations will be able to develop in peace and freedom, will be a safe home. Only a strong Europe, aware of its heritage, faithful to the values that built its splendour, can survive today’s historical turmoil” – Morawiecki said. “Building such a Europe is a great task for all of us” – he concluded.
AW