War in Ukraine. Bartosz Cichocki: Poland must make decisions about partial militarization of the economy and society

On Wednesday, the US Department of State announced that the embassy USA in Kiev received information about a “potential significant air attack”. Therefore, a decision was made to suspend the facility's operations on that day.

READ ALSO: Explosions were heard in Kiev, the embassy has “information about a possible serious attack”

Former ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Ukraine Bartosz Cichocki, asked in “Fakty po Faktach” on TVN24 about the situation in Kiev, said that “life here is such that in six hours, twelve, or maybe half an hour everything we had in life, everything we thought important, it may cease to exist.

He said that when Ukrainian citizens listen to political discussions in Poland, they “see it as some kind of paradise situation.” – Disputes over courts and budgets may seem to them from another planet, because they live in such a way that their loved ones, everything they loved and everything they spent their lives building, die in fractions of seconds – he emphasized. – Despite this, they still try to live a normal life – he added.

According to the diplomat, Poles “should focus on what is most important.” – In a moment, if Ukraine falls, our security will cost us much more – he said. – I am not saying that the Russians will immediately attack Poland in the same way as Ukraine, but it is clear from the president's statement (Vladimir) Putin and his surroundings, that he is not interested in two, three, four oblasts of Ukraine. He wants to turn the clock back 40 years, he noted.

He explained that, in his opinion, Putin's goal is to have full control over Ukraine and influence the most important decisions regarding the security of Central European countries, including Poland.

– Ukraine has someone to fight, but the point is that in the next six months to a year, Ukraine's capabilities will decline much faster than Russia's, Bartosz Cichocki further assessed.

The former Polish ambassador to Ukraine said that Poland “must now make decisions about the partial militarization of the economy and society.” – Trade unions in defense companies cannot block the increase in arms production. It cannot be that companies wait for a loan or purchase guarantee before starting mass production of ammunition. We also cannot disarm ourselves internally, he said.

– We cannot get rid of tools such as the Government Agency of Strategic Reserves, which today is unable to control the situation in several towns affected by floods, and two years ago it saved Ukraine from disaster within a few days – he added.

In October, the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army, General Wiesław Kukuła, said during the inauguration of the new year at the Land Forces Academy in Wrocław that “everything indicates that we are the generation that will stand with weapons in our hands to defend our country.” Earlier, in March, the Prime Minister Donald Tusk in an interview for European newspapers he said that we live in pre-war times.

READ ALSO – General Kukuła: we are the generation that will stand with weapons in hand to defend the country

– I am not in favor of scaring people, but I agree with both statements, but these words are not followed by actions. We are in a pre-war state, but our economy and society continue as if nothing had changed – commented the TVN24 guest.

The diplomat emphasized that if someone is unable to understand this, “I invite you to Kiev or even to Lviv or Odessa, where there was electricity for only two hours for three days.” – If we don't start drawing conclusions and build a force that will deter Russiait will be as General Kukuła says. We will be the first generation that will have to defend our families and homes in our territory, he added.