Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Rzeszów on the way from Moscow to Kiev, where they were to talk to Volodymyr Zelenski on 6 September. The Polish halt has served the most crucial American mission in Ukraine since the beginning of Donald Trump's second term. This confirms the importance of Podkarpacie, but requires constant infrastructure protection.
Polish halt between Moscow and Kiev
Special envoy of U.S. president Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law Donald Trump and his advisor, flew from Moscow to Rzeszów. From there they continued their journey to the capital of Ukraine. On Sunday, September 6, they reached Kiev for the first authoritative visit of both negotiators in Ukraine.
On Saturday, Americans spoke to Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin for over 3 hours. No breakthrough has been announced. Russian advisor Yuri Uszakov defined the gathering as constructive and useful, and the American side announced further steps. In Kiev, the envoys were to present the result of Zelensk talks and perceive to Ukrainian proposals for ending the war and safety guarantees.
Rzeszów works on the importance of Poland
The presence of Witkoff and Kushner in Rzeszów has a larger dimension than the method stopover. The location of Podkarpacie made the region a natural base of contacts with the fighting Ukraine. As the most crucial envoys of Washington decision between Kremlin and Kiev through the territory of Poland, we can see the real value of our location, infrastructure and organizational capacity.
However, we must not confuse the function of the back office with the function of decision making. Poland provides space, safety and logistics, but should besides co-form the political conditions of future peace. The State which bears the costs of protecting the east flank shall not be brought into the transit corridor.
This argument becomes applicable erstwhile Polish aviation must respond to Russian strikes close our border. The safety of Rzeszów and the full Podkarpacie depends on efficient air defence, airport, railway, road and communication systems. It's not image expenses. It is simply a condition for the state to act in a strategical direction.
Peace must increase the safety of Poland
The visit takes place during an effort to resume negotiations that were stuck a fewer months earlier. Russia continues to link talks with military force and drone attacks. Therefore, each draft agreement must be judged by its effects, not by its promise of silence.
For Poland, good peace means limiting Russia's ability to further aggression, credible guarantees for Ukraine and maintaining American presence in our part of Europe. The evil peace would give Moscow time to rebuild its strength, leaving the east flank states with greater danger and a bill for another people's delusions.
The Rzeszów travel phase shows that Poland is needed to all serious action plan in the East. Now we request to translate logistics into political influence. The corridor leading to safety talks should besides have a Polish voice at the table.
Source: To Things
