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| Obama, in Poland, Renews Commitment to Security | Obama, in Poland, Renews Commitment to Security |
| (3 months later) | |
| WARSAW — President Obama flew here Tuesday to unveil a $1 billion security plan intended to demonstrate the United States’ “rock-solid commitment” to stand with Central and Eastern Europe against Russian aggression, but it did not settle nerves rattled by the crisis in neighboring Ukraine. | |
| Arriving here for the start of a four-day swing through Europe certain to be dominated by the continuing tension with Moscow, Mr. Obama announced a program to expand military training, joint exercises and troop rotations while prepositioning equipment in the region to bolster defenses for American allies. | Arriving here for the start of a four-day swing through Europe certain to be dominated by the continuing tension with Moscow, Mr. Obama announced a program to expand military training, joint exercises and troop rotations while prepositioning equipment in the region to bolster defenses for American allies. |
| “Our commitment to Poland’s security, as well as the security of our allies in Central and Eastern Europe, is a cornerstone of our own security, and it is sacrosanct,” Mr. Obama told a contingent of 50 American and Polish airmen and service members in an airplane hangar where they serve together. “As friends and as allies, we stand united, together and forever.” | “Our commitment to Poland’s security, as well as the security of our allies in Central and Eastern Europe, is a cornerstone of our own security, and it is sacrosanct,” Mr. Obama told a contingent of 50 American and Polish airmen and service members in an airplane hangar where they serve together. “As friends and as allies, we stand united, together and forever.” |
| To make sure his message was lost on no one, Mr. Obama posed for pictures in front of American F-16 warplanes and greeted the American airmen stationed here. But the security program he announced will require congressional approval, so it meant no immediate assistance for Poland or other allies. Mr. Obama offered none of the short-term reinforcements much less the permanent base sought by Warsaw, and some leading Polish figures expressed disappointment. | To make sure his message was lost on no one, Mr. Obama posed for pictures in front of American F-16 warplanes and greeted the American airmen stationed here. But the security program he announced will require congressional approval, so it meant no immediate assistance for Poland or other allies. Mr. Obama offered none of the short-term reinforcements much less the permanent base sought by Warsaw, and some leading Polish figures expressed disappointment. |
| “President Obama’s declaration has left us a bit hungry,” said Joachim Brudzinski, president of the executive committee of Poland’s largest opposition party, Law and Justice. “It lacks specifics. It doesn’t answer this very important for us question: What does it mean in relation to the presence of U.S. troops in Poland?” | “President Obama’s declaration has left us a bit hungry,” said Joachim Brudzinski, president of the executive committee of Poland’s largest opposition party, Law and Justice. “It lacks specifics. It doesn’t answer this very important for us question: What does it mean in relation to the presence of U.S. troops in Poland?” |
| Krzysztof Kubiak, a foreign policy expert from the Institute of Security and International Affairs at the University of Lower Silesia in Wroclaw, said Mr. Obama’s announcement was just “a smokescreen” because after two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States military is drained and its public ready to pull back. | Krzysztof Kubiak, a foreign policy expert from the Institute of Security and International Affairs at the University of Lower Silesia in Wroclaw, said Mr. Obama’s announcement was just “a smokescreen” because after two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States military is drained and its public ready to pull back. |
| “The only way for Americans to prove their full commitment to Poland’s and this region’s safety is to move one of their large military installations from one of the old NATO members to Poland,” he said. | “The only way for Americans to prove their full commitment to Poland’s and this region’s safety is to move one of their large military installations from one of the old NATO members to Poland,” he said. |
| Mr. Obama arrived at a tense time in the region. Although Russia has been pulling troops back from the border with Ukraine, violence has continued to erupt in the eastern part of Ukraine as pro-Russian separatists wage a low-grade insurgency against the government in Kiev. Mr. Obama used the visit to insist that Russia stop the flow of militants and weapons across the border and use its influence to press the separatists to stand down. | Mr. Obama arrived at a tense time in the region. Although Russia has been pulling troops back from the border with Ukraine, violence has continued to erupt in the eastern part of Ukraine as pro-Russian separatists wage a low-grade insurgency against the government in Kiev. Mr. Obama used the visit to insist that Russia stop the flow of militants and weapons across the border and use its influence to press the separatists to stand down. |
| Yet he also offered an olive branch of sorts. While repeating that “further Russian provocation will be met with further costs for Russia, including, if necessary, additional sanctions,” Mr. Obama held out the possibility of restoring relations if Moscow were to defuse the crisis. | Yet he also offered an olive branch of sorts. While repeating that “further Russian provocation will be met with further costs for Russia, including, if necessary, additional sanctions,” Mr. Obama held out the possibility of restoring relations if Moscow were to defuse the crisis. |
| “If in fact we can see some responsible behavior by the Russians over the next several months, then I think it is possible for us to try to rebuild some of the trust that’s been shattered during this past year,” he said. “But I think it is fair to say that rebuilding that trust will take quite some time. And in the meantime we are going to be prepared for any contingencies that may come up.” | “If in fact we can see some responsible behavior by the Russians over the next several months, then I think it is possible for us to try to rebuild some of the trust that’s been shattered during this past year,” he said. “But I think it is fair to say that rebuilding that trust will take quite some time. And in the meantime we are going to be prepared for any contingencies that may come up.” |
| Mr. Obama expects to encounter President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for the first time since the showdown over Ukraine began. They will both travel to France this week for ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The leaders of France, Germany and Britain have all scheduled separate meetings with Mr. Putin. Mr. Obama has no such discussion arranged, but he will be at the same lunch at Normandy on Friday where they presumably will run into each other. “I’m sure I’ll see him,” Mr. Obama said. “He’s going to be there.” | Mr. Obama expects to encounter President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for the first time since the showdown over Ukraine began. They will both travel to France this week for ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The leaders of France, Germany and Britain have all scheduled separate meetings with Mr. Putin. Mr. Obama has no such discussion arranged, but he will be at the same lunch at Normandy on Friday where they presumably will run into each other. “I’m sure I’ll see him,” Mr. Obama said. “He’s going to be there.” |
| The president’s main goal here in Warsaw was to reassure NATO allies that once were in the Soviet orbit that they could count on American support. In multiple public and private settings, he repeated his commitment to Article 5 of the NATO charter stating that an attack on any member was an attack on all. | The president’s main goal here in Warsaw was to reassure NATO allies that once were in the Soviet orbit that they could count on American support. In multiple public and private settings, he repeated his commitment to Article 5 of the NATO charter stating that an attack on any member was an attack on all. |
| Joined by Secretary of State John Kerry, Mr. Obama sat down not just with Polish leaders, but also with counterparts from Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia, all of whom traveled here hoping for American assistance. | Joined by Secretary of State John Kerry, Mr. Obama sat down not just with Polish leaders, but also with counterparts from Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia, all of whom traveled here hoping for American assistance. |
| Polish leaders welcomed Mr. Obama warmly and expressed appreciation for the proposed security program, which is called the “European reassurance initiative.” President Bronislaw Komorowski said, “We are on the same page fully,” and Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised the “very speedy and also very effective reaction of the United States to the Ukrainian crisis.” | Polish leaders welcomed Mr. Obama warmly and expressed appreciation for the proposed security program, which is called the “European reassurance initiative.” President Bronislaw Komorowski said, “We are on the same page fully,” and Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised the “very speedy and also very effective reaction of the United States to the Ukrainian crisis.” |
| Yet they also expressed polite anticipation that the latest initiative was not all Mr. Obama would do. Mr. Tusk said he took from Mr. Obama’s comments that this was “just another step and that this is not the end” of American help. Mr. Komorowski pressed for “the development of additional NATO infrastructure that is a prerequisite for the possible effective reception of the reinforcement forces.” | Yet they also expressed polite anticipation that the latest initiative was not all Mr. Obama would do. Mr. Tusk said he took from Mr. Obama’s comments that this was “just another step and that this is not the end” of American help. Mr. Komorowski pressed for “the development of additional NATO infrastructure that is a prerequisite for the possible effective reception of the reinforcement forces.” |
| Polish officials had hoped for something more tangible. In an interview before Mr. Obama’s arrival, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski argued for a permanent American military base. “There are major bases in Britain, in Spain, in Portugal, in Greece, in Italy,” he said. “Why not here?” | Polish officials had hoped for something more tangible. In an interview before Mr. Obama’s arrival, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski argued for a permanent American military base. “There are major bases in Britain, in Spain, in Portugal, in Greece, in Italy,” he said. “Why not here?” |
| NATO and Russia signed an agreement in 1997 in which the Western alliance said it did not intend “additional permanent stationing of substantial combat forces” in Eastern Europe. But Polish officials argued that Russia had effectively abrogated the agreement because it violated another provision barring “the threat or use of force” intended to violate the “sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence” of its neighbors. | NATO and Russia signed an agreement in 1997 in which the Western alliance said it did not intend “additional permanent stationing of substantial combat forces” in Eastern Europe. But Polish officials argued that Russia had effectively abrogated the agreement because it violated another provision barring “the threat or use of force” intended to violate the “sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence” of its neighbors. |
| “Russia is testing the strength of the international system set up by the United States after World War II,” Mr. Sikorski said. “She tested it in Georgia, which was an implied ally of the United States. She has now tested it in Ukraine. And I don’t think we can discount the possibility that she will test it again. And therefore our security guarantees have to be credible, which is to say physically enforceable.” | “Russia is testing the strength of the international system set up by the United States after World War II,” Mr. Sikorski said. “She tested it in Georgia, which was an implied ally of the United States. She has now tested it in Ukraine. And I don’t think we can discount the possibility that she will test it again. And therefore our security guarantees have to be credible, which is to say physically enforceable.” |
| Several Polish analysts said Mr. Obama’s plan did not meet that criteria. “The name is nice — a ‘reassurance plan’ — but $1 billion is not enough to reassure both Poland and the entire region,” said Zbigniew Lewicki, professor of American studies at the University of Warsaw. | Several Polish analysts said Mr. Obama’s plan did not meet that criteria. “The name is nice — a ‘reassurance plan’ — but $1 billion is not enough to reassure both Poland and the entire region,” said Zbigniew Lewicki, professor of American studies at the University of Warsaw. |
| But Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the NATO secretary general, said Mr. Obama’s promise of a heftier American footprint in Europe was welcome. “The United States has reacted swiftly after Russia’s illegal military actions in Ukraine,” Mr. Rasmussen said at a meeting in Brussels. | But Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the NATO secretary general, said Mr. Obama’s promise of a heftier American footprint in Europe was welcome. “The United States has reacted swiftly after Russia’s illegal military actions in Ukraine,” Mr. Rasmussen said at a meeting in Brussels. |