WikiLeaks: In 2009 Poland was expecting to come under attack from Russia

After the war in Georgia in August 2008, the head of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski, have said that Poland expects to come under attack from Russia in 10-15 months time, i.e. during year 2009. That's what we read in a diplomatic telegram from the U.S. embassy in Warsaw, dated December 2008. The telegram has been revealed by WikiLeaks.

The note states that Polish representatives see Russian invasion of Georgian territory as a confirmation of their warnings about an aggressive attitude of Moscow within Eastern Europe. The message is classified. We read that Poland, like the U.S., exerts efforts to attract Eastern European countries, such as Ukraine and Georgia, to Western institutions. According to the U.S. embassy Polish initiatives in the region, such as Eastern Partnership, are aimed at limiting the expansion of Russia.

The note also stated that the government and Prime Minister Tusk (Civic Platform) rejected "confrontational policies of his predecessor's" (Prime Minister Kaczynski (Law and Justice)), and wanted to build a broad coalition within the European Union, to have a greater impact on Russia as a synergistic whole, rather than a single member state.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sikorski claimed that any subsequent Russia's activity in order to change Europe's borders by force or coup, should be seen by Europe as a threat to its security, and entail a proportional response by the entire North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Sikorski warned that NATO is turning into a 'political club with no teeth' and claimed that Poland won't tolerate the "replay of Georgian scenario in Ukraine." He also defended the decision of Polish delivery of arms to Georgia.

There's of emphasis on Polish policy towards Belarus. We read that for Tusk and Sikorski maintain a dialogue with the regime of Lukashenko is the 'lesser evil'. In their view isolated Belarus would fall into a Russia's clutches, and slow down further implementation of pro-democracy reforms.