X-Captive Nations Alliance Gains Momentum –
The Lublin Triangle
One of the
mainstay themes of my blog, The Torn Curtain 1991, has been the necessity for
the former captive nations of Russian subjugation to form a multilateral
alliance for their common security, stability and development in the face of
Moscow’s enduring aggression.
I wrote about
this from a variety of angles including building such a bloc among non-governmental
organizations of their respective countries affiliated at the United Nations. At
the time I suggested that their civil society representatives and the
appropriate member-states’ permanent missions form such a coalition along the
lines of the much-discussed UN Sustainable Development Goals. The 17 principles
and 140-plus subtexts discuss more than just environmental issues. Human rights
are included in the goals.
I had also cited an
interview with Pavlo Klimkin, when he was minister of foreign affairs of
Ukraine, who advocated the creation of such a far-reaching bloc. Outraged by the Russian invasion of
his homeland, Klimkin suggested soon after President Petro Poroshenko’s visit
to Canada and the United States the creation of a Coalition of Freedom to
defend democracy and Western values in a troubled world.
“It is about security for everyone,” Klimkin had said during an
exclusive Fox News interview on the eve of the 71st UN General
Assembly in 2016. “If someone in this interchangeable and intertwined world
cannot feel secure, how can US citizens here feel secure?”
Klimkin explained that Ukraine is confronting – and still is – a
threat any nation can face, adding “we need a network of security.” His
Coalition of Freedom would consist of “countries which are committed to
freedom, to democratic values, where we are not talking about spheres of
influence, but the values and real interests of democratic countries.” Indeed,
his theme fits today’s dangerous global agenda, especially that faced by the
former captive nations.
In a recent blogpost
I welcomed the formation of a special brigade composed of soldiers from
Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland as a major step forward in developing such an
alliance that will defend the former captive nations from any belligerent
action by Russia meant to reestablish its domination of Ukraine, the Baltic
States, the remainder of Eastern Europe and beyond. Three
x-captive nations, Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland, have transformed this worthy
idea into practice with the mobilization of the “Hetman Konstantyn Ostrohskiy” Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade
(LITPOLUKR) – https://litpolukrbrig.wp.mil.pl/en/
. Russia invading the captive nations is
not as farfetched a notion as some may claim because in the past six years Moscow
proved its overt mission is to rebuild the holy Russian empire and establish
tight control of the nations in its near abroad.
Finally, it has
come to light that five days ago, on July 28, this idea began to gel. In the
Polish city of Lublin, where the tripartite brigade is stationed, the foreign
ministers of Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine met and signed a document
acknowledging the importance of such a nascent formation. The three countries
officials’ acknowledged the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine and the
military occupation of Crimea.
The following is the text of their joint declaration that appeared
on the website of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:
Lublin, 28 July 2020
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Poland, Republic of Lithuania and Ukraine recognize the multi-centennial
historical and cultural links between their nations.
They also recognize the benefits of creating even
stronger political, economic, infrastructure, security, defense and cultural
links between their countries in contemporary world.
They draw attention to the activities of Poland, Lithuania
and Ukraine in the process of shaping the modern political, cultural and social
realities of Central Europe.
At the same time, they underline the strategic
importance of intensified cooperation between the European Union, NATO and
Eastern Partnership countries and pay due attention to the functioning of the
Three Seas Initiative.
They note with due attention common threats in
security area as well as in others, i.e. pandemic threats.
They underline the important role of dialog between
the three countries in the parliamentary dimension, especially within the
Parliamentary Assembly Poland-Lithuania-Ukraine.
They recognize the benefits of their trilateral
cooperation in the security sphere, in particular functioning of the
Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade (LitPolUkrBrig).
Taking into account the ongoing Russian aggression
in Ukraine, they commit to coordinating their activities in order to uphold the
international law, both through trilateral cooperation and within international
organizations (NATO, European Union, United Nations, Council of Europe, OSCE).
They declare invariably their strong condemnation of
the attempted annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of
Sevastopol by the Russian Federation. They do not recognize it and will never
do it. They also call upon Russian Federation to withdraw its troops from the
parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
They reaffirm their unwavering support to Ukraine’s
independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally
recognized borders and call upon Russian Federation to stop its aggression
against Ukraine, as well as its temporary occupation of Ukraine’s territories
of Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
They reiterate their firm support for the European
and Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Ukraine and welcome its European choice.
They note with satisfaction granting of NATO
Enhanced Opportunities Partner status to Ukraine. They support Ukraine’s
aspirations to NATO membership. Providing Ukraine with the NATO Membership
Action Plan should be the next step to this direction.
They recommit to deepening and broadening of
Polish-Lithuanian-Ukrainian military-to-military cooperation, both through
bilateral and trilateral activities and by making full use of possibilities
created by NATO.
They reaffirm the unwavering commitment to the
development of the Eastern Partnership by broadening and deepening cooperation
and proposing ambitious and strategic long-term goals.
They commit to providing mutual support in the fight
against the coronavirus pandemic.
They envisage active actions aiming at promoting
trade and investments, securing better access to regional infrastructure and
improving its quality by stepping up with ambitious projects promoting cohesion
in the region.
They support the cooperation of Ukraine with the
Three Seas Initiative, as well as cooperation within other regional formats.
They support the effective implementation of
political-economic reforms in Ukraine, taking into account Polish and
Lithuanian experiences and best practices worked out in cooperation with other
European countries.
They commit to strengthening people-to-people
contacts and civil society cooperation, including between scientists and
experts.
In order to ensure achieving the above-mentioned
goals the Ministers decide to create a trilateral platform for political
economic and social cooperation between the Republic of Poland, the Republic of
Lithuania and Ukraine – Lublin Triangle.
The Ministers decide to organize their regular
meetings, also in the margins of multilateral sessions and with the
participation of chosen partners.
They also decide to organize consultations of
high-level MFA officials and establish liaison-officers within the Ministries
of Foreign Affairs.
•••
This document is by far the most important political
document concluded in the post-World War II era. It recognizes the ongoing
threat that Russia poses to global and regional peace, security and
development. It also declares that three captive nations – Ukraine, Lithuania
and Poland – acknowledge their common fate and the need to stand shoulder to
shoulder in their defense against Moscow’s belligerence.
The Lublin Triangle, if properly developed, expanded
with additional x-captive nations, and supported by the free world, has the potential
of becoming an historic alliance that will bring peace to the region and world
by curbing Russia’s aggression and imperialism.
