Yves here. It’s important to remember that Radek Sikorski holds a strong anti-Russian stance, making his efforts to deploy Polish troops in Ukraine quite aligned with his character:
Hey Radosław Sikorski, is this you praising the US for sabotaging NordStream? https://t.co/wIjSXQ4CWz pic.twitter.com/HYMcdXzVTL
— Richard (@ricwe123) May 9, 2024
To provide further context:
You’d be wrong to think of Sikorski as a Polish nationalist with historical grievances. He is Anne Applebaum’s husband. He is a cosmopolitan westoid. People like that don’t believe history is a real thing; they conceive of it exclusively as a rhetorical device to scold people. https://t.co/0gSs0G7W8U
— Russians With Attitude (@RWApodcast) August 24, 2026
Sikorski is an MI6 man. The origin of his “European Legion” idea is obvious (to me): “We cannot call Washington every time,” but London? Came up with it 2 months after UK FR, GER spoke of a “Coalition of the Willing.” They plan troops in UKR after a C-F, but there won’t ever be a C-F. https://t.co/QKHuHV2oVv
— Andrea Sutton (@AndreaAlbion) August 25, 2026
Given that Russia is unlikely to permit NATO or NATO-member peacekeepers into Ukraine, and considering Sikorski’s assertion that European countries are not prepared to contribute forces under a unified army, it raises questions about the feasibility of his proposal.
By Andrew Korybko, a Moscow-based American political analyst specializing in the global transition to multipolarity amid the New Cold War. He holds a PhD from MGIMO, part of the Russian Foreign Ministry. This article was originally published on his website.
While Poland’s Commander-in-Chief, Conservative President Karol Nawrocki, holds significant authority, if the liberal coalition’s Defense Minister were to deploy Polish troops under EU control via the “European Legion,” it may challenge Nawrocki’s ability to prevent their involvement in Ukraine.
Recently, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski proposed the establishment of a “European Legion” in an interview with Greek media. He stated, “I strongly advocate for a ‘European Legion,’ a dedicated, standing force that could recruit seasoned professionals from the broader European family, including battle-hardened Ukrainian veterans after the war. The crux of the matter is that Europe must take charge of its own security.”
He continued, “We cannot call Washington every time there is a crisis in our backyard — whether that’s a conventional threat or Moscow weaponizing migration flows from Africa and the Middle East against the EU. However, let’s be very clear: This is not about establishing a parallel alternative to NATO or duplicating existing structures. What we need is a stronger European pillar within a more robust NATO. Our interests are complementary, not conflicting.”
Some observers found this surprising, given that Sikorski had previously rejected Zelensky’s proposal for an “Army of Europe” 18 months ago. At that time, he asserted, “I think we should be cautious with this term because different people interpret it in various ways. If you understand it as a unification of national armies, that will not come to pass.” The primary distinction lies in the fact that the “Army of Europe” aims to unify national armies, which is unrealistic, while the “European Legion” is envisioned as a voluntary force.
To provide further details, it seems that Sikorski’s concept involves a rapid reaction force composed of troops from EU nations and Ukraine. This force would likely be directed by an EU entity, aimed at addressing crises as they arise, thereby acting as tripwires for NATO’s or “coalitions of the willing” responses due to the presence of their troops in potential conflict zones.
Sikorski’s suggestion follows a timeline in which Britain, France, and Germany — known as the E3 and central to the dubious “coalition of the willing” — announced plans to send troops to Ukraine after a ceasefire. President Nawrocki, who stands in opposition to the ruling liberal coalition represented by Sikorski, committed in writing in May 2025 before the second round of elections that he would prevent the deployment of Polish troops to Ukraine.
Though he holds the title of Commander-in-Chief, if the liberal Defense Minister aligns Polish troops with EU control through the “European Legion,” it remains uncertain if Nawrocki could obstruct their deployment in line with the “coalition of the willing’s” intentions. Public sentiment in Poland has recently turned against Ukraine, particularly after Zelensky’s comments glorifying the Volhynia genocide, which poses risks for the ruling liberals in the upcoming Sejm elections slated for fall 2027.
Nonetheless, “The Recent Polish-German Defense Pact Indisputably Prioritizes Berlin’s Interests Over Warsaw’s,” and Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s close ties to Germany have led conservative opposition figures to accuse him of being a “German agent.” Therefore, it’s conceivable that he might jeopardize his political standing next year if Germany insists on Poland contributing troops to Ukraine under the “European Legion.” However, it remains to be seen whether such a mission would be acceptable to Russia.
