WARSAW — There’s nothing like the danger of war from a historic enemy to paper over political divides.
That’s what’s happening in Poland, as usually squabbling politicians struck an unusual note of unity and solidarity in response to a breach of Polish airspace by at least 19 Russian drones early Wednesday.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk are often at odds, with the right-wing president attempting to undermine the centrist prime minister in a heated political battle that is destabilizing the country’s foreign policy and sounding warning bells about its public finances.
But all was harmony and patriotism in Warsaw on Wednesday … at least for the first hours after Polish and Dutch warplanes shot down several drones.
Nawrocki told a morning press conference that he had met Tusk at Polish military headquarters, where both were briefed on the incursion. The two leaders also discussed invoking NATO’s Article 4, which calls on alliance members to consult in the event that “the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened.” (This was ultimately done.)
Tusk messaged the parliament in a similar vein a few hours later, saying there was “full cooperation” between the president’s office and his government.
“I want to stress as strongly as possible that cooperation between the institutions is exemplary. I am in constant contact, including with the president,” Tusk said.
“It’s crucial that in such moments of trial all institutions act as one fist. And I must assure you with full conviction that all of them are passing this test,” the PM added.
It was a striking change in tone. Tusk and Nawrocki have locked horns almost daily since the latter took office in early August.
Nawrocki has vetoed some key pieces of legislation from the Tusk-led ruling coalition, and the prime minister has accused the president of scheming to derail the government’s reform agenda to better position his Law and Justice (PiS) party ahead of the next general election in 2027. They’ve also been at loggerheads over foreign policy, especially over Nawrocki’s recent visit to the White House to visit his political ally, Donald Trump.
But the Polish military firing its first shots in anger at a foreign invader since 1945 changed the mood music.
Trump reportedly planned to speak with Nawrocki later on Wednesday, and posted on social media: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”
Mateusz Morawiecki, a former PiS prime minister and normally a fierce foe of Tusk, posted: “In times like these, loyalty, solidarity and responsibility are what matter. Together we can do it. We will defeat the enemy.”
He underlined that “There is one enemy, and that enemy is external.”
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who usually revels in attacking PiS, posted: “Let’s stay calm, let’s unite.”
Frenemies
But even in those first hours of political unity, cracks started to appear.
Mariusz Błaszczak, a former PiS defense minister, grumbled that Tusk’s defense ministry was cutting back on some of the contracts agreed under the previous PiS government. “Enough talk, we just need to implement the contracts that we prepared when Law and Justice was in power,” he said.
PiS Chairman Jarosław Kaczyński underlined the danger of the moment, warning: “We are facing an attack on Poland.” But he skipped Tusk’s address to parliament, and lambasted the government for “slowing down” reforms in the army.
Other long-held grievances resurfaced. Kaczyński lashed out at those who oppose his marches on the 10th of every month to commemorate the April 10, 2010 air disaster that killed his twin brother, then-President Lech Kaczyński — something his supporters blame with no evidence on Tusk and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “They are even more brazen than usual,” Kaczyński complained.
Sławomir Mentzen of the opposition far-right Confederation party, which is the least pro-Ukrainian major grouping in Poland, went further in criticizing both the current Tusk government and past PiS administrations, saying Poland “slept through” the drone revolution on the battlefield that has shaped Ukraine’s war against Russia, a point some military experts in Poland have raised as well.
“We are absolutely not ready for this conflict. We have spent tens of billions of dollars for arms that won’t be here only a few years from now, and once we have it, what use is it going to be?” Mentzen complained.
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