There has been a lot of chatter in Washington over the last few weeks about President Trump’s recent diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to bring prices down ahead of the midterm elections. While the actual effect on gas prices remains unclear at best, the action could send billions into the Kremlin’s pocketbook and signals to our European partners that steadfast U.S. support is not guaranteed.
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Warsaw Security Forum, a gathering of over 3,000 participants from 90 countries to discuss, debate, and strategize how to end the war in Ukraine, sustain U.S. engagement in European security, and build stability across the European continent. The central theme of the conference was “United We Stand,” and each panel highlighted how NATO unity and support for Ukraine must be coupled with innovative capabilities and credible deterrence—further bolstered by the importance of every Western country taking greater initiative to fund their own security.
With Warsaw as the backdrop, it was clear that the Russian threat to the West is not merely symbolic. Soviet-era architecture and landmarks such as the Palace of Culture and Science, a towering reminder of Stalinist influence, invoke nightmares of communist rule that are all too familiar for many eastern Europeans. These memories are particularly fresh for Poland, which held its first fully free elections in the 1990s and adopted its current constitution less than 30 years ago. Despite its relatively young democracy, Poland has one of the fastest growing economies in Europe, and with the Russia-Ukraine war on the other side of its eastern border, it has bolstered its defense spending to 4.8 percent of GDP at $53 billion this year. For Warsaw, the threat is real, and they are doing their part to deter it.
Nearly five years into the war, Ukraine is a battleground for the broader defense of freedom in the West while they fight for their survival. Russia has weaponized its resources—diesel included—while the West has been too indecisive and slow to seize the initiative. As Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated at the Forum, “this is the moment when the entire West must show Russia and Putin that we are ready to pursue a policy of deterrence using even tougher measures.” We must work for our freedom, and we must stand by our allies fighting for their own. It’s time for NATO’s member countries—including the United States—to start acting as such.
While President Trump claims he cut the deal to lighten the burden on Americans before they head to the polls, it should not be forgotten that Russia has a long history of attempting to sow discord among Americans, and we must remain vigilant against the Kremlin’s information warfare and counter Putin’s false narratives. The administration is playing with fire, and even though the Russian military threat is not yet on our doorstep, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence should serve as a reminder that our freedom on this side of the Atlantic should not be taken for granted.
