Poland Is the Indispensable NATO Ally

Warsaw is doing more than others in Europe to defend itself.

Wonder Land: China, Russia and Iran are turning the Ukraine conflict into a test that the autocratic alliance believes the West is going to fail. Images: AP/Getty Images/Zuma Press Composite: Mark Kelly

Americans sometimes ask, with good reason, why Western Europeans don’t do more to defend themselves. Behold Poland, a NATO state setting an example for all of Europe as it goes on an arms-buying spree to deter Vladimir Putin or the next Russian czar.

Last week Poland announced a $2.3 billion deal to buy missiles and missile launchers from the U.K. for its air-defense systems. The company MBDA says the purchase is “the largest European short-range air defence acquisition programme in NATO” since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

Opinion

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