Ukraine erases Russia's strategic depth as Poland leads Europe's military shift | Diane Francis

Diane Francis, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, joins TVP World to assess two major shifts reshaping the war in Ukraine and European security.

She explains why Ukraine's Flamingo cruise missile strike on Russia's Progress Space and Rocket Center, some 900 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, marks a turning point in the war. Ukraine no longer needs a Western green light to hit strategic targets deep inside Russia.

Francis argues that Ukraine has effectively erased the concern over NATO-made weapons striking Russian territory, and is now hitting energy infrastructure, military factories and telecommunications networks with growing precision.

On Poland, she is direct: spending 7.5% of GDP on defense, the highest rate in Europe, Poland has earned a seat at the table and should be taken seriously when it asks for something. She contrasts this level of spending with France, Spain and Italy's, which she describes as disappointing.

Francis also warns that Europe's failure to rearm faster is difficult to justify. She argues Russia attacked Ukraine precisely because Europe has for years done nothing to boost its military and relied entirely on a U.S.-led NATO. With Washington now focused on China and the Middle East, that calculation has to change.

Join our host Benjamin Lee and watch the full interview.

#ukraine #russia #poland #europe #defense

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