Sikorski warns Putin of unexpected Trump firmness: EU too weak alone

• Radosław Sikorski, in the interview with "El Pais", emphasised that Vladimir Putin might be surprised by the firmness of Donald Trump.
• The minister remarked that the European Union is too weak to independently deter Russia, which is why cooperation with NATO is crucial.
• Sikorski pointed out that the best guarantee for Ukraine is a well-equipped army and military assistance from the West.

Radosław Sikorski, in a conversation with "El Pais", expressed the belief that Vladimir Putin might be surprised by Donald Trump's firmness. The minister underlined that the United States is indispensable in deterring Russia, and the European Union is not capable of meeting this challenge independently. "It's too big a task for us", admitted Sikorski, adding that the entire NATO must take on the responsibility of deterring Putin.

Sikorski noted that every American administration appreciates the value of having allies. He recalled that the only instance of invoking Article 5 of NATO was the terrorist attack on the United States in 2001.

The minister emphasised that the best guarantee for Ukraine is its own well-equipped army and military assistance from the West. "What we would need from the United States is at least the use of some of their intelligence, space, and air resources", said Sikorski.

The Polish minister noted that a Russian conventional attack is unlikely to threaten Spain due to its geographical location. However, this does not mean that Madrid should ignore the threat from the east, which manifests itself in disinformation, espionage, and political manipulations. "We have seen Russian manipulations in Romania, Moldova, France, the United Kingdom—in support of Brexit and, as far as I know, also in Spanish politics", observed Sikorski. He added that Russia has several military bases in Libya, which also poses a threat to the region.