Warsaw is making major arms deals with South Korea to establish dominance in continental Europe, Politico writes.
Poland has become the most important partner in continental Europe, said a senior U.S. Army official in Europe, noting the crucial role Poland has played in supporting Ukraine and strengthening NATO defense in the Baltics.
While Germany, traditionally a key American ally in the region, remains a linchpin as a logistical hub, Berlin's endless debates about how to revive its armed forces and lack of a strategic culture are reducing its effectiveness as a partner, the official said.
Meanwhile, Poland is already investing heavily.
Warsaw has said it will raise its target defense spending from 2.4 percent of gross domestic product to 5 percent. Meanwhile, Germany, which spent about 1.5 percent of GDP on defense last year, is debating whether it can maintain its 2 percent NATO target after exhausting the $100 billion defense investment fund approved earlier this year.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak promised in July that his country would have the most powerful ground forces in Europe.
Poland already has more tanks and howitzers than Germany and intends to have a much larger army, which by 2035 will number 300,000 troops, compared to Germany's current 170,000.
Today, the Polish armed forces are about 150,000, 30,000 of whom are part of the new territorial defense force created in 2017. These are weekend soldiers who undergo 16 days of training and then refresher courses.
Unlike Germany, which is struggling to attract new recruits, Poland's recruitment campaign is attracting attention.
Whether Poland's military strength will translate into political influence in Europe, however, is another question. So far, this has not happened, in large part because the centrist forces that dominate the EU do not trust the Polish government, which is controlled by the nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS).
The ongoing tug-of-war between Warsaw and Brussels over what the EU considers a disregard for democratic norms and the rule of law has damaged the country's reputation throughout the bloc.
However, the only thing Poland's political parties can agree on is the need to strengthen the armed forces. Although fears about Russia have spurred this push, Warsaw is also concerned about the credibility of Washington. Unlike much of the rest of the EU, however, their concern is not that Donald Trump will return as president, but that he will not.
Despite the deepening cooperation between the U.S. and Polish militaries in helping Ukraine, Poland's current leadership still does not trust President Joe Biden, who as a candidate called the country's government totalitarian.
