A good deal of the misery in Poland's past can be traced to its location between Germany and Russia. These days, people talk an awful lot about Globalization and the new economy and use all sorts of jargon to deny the importance of simple geopolitical realities (Thomas Freidmen, I'm looking in your direction), but for Poland, these realities are coming to the fore once again.
The new trans-Baltic Oil pipeline project agreed upon by Russia and Germany, is a way for these powers to increase the dependency of the developing Baltic States and to limit their growing political might. While it would be speculation to say that Putin has the continuing influence of Solidarity in mind, by gaining control and influence over Poland, he makes it less likely that they will continue to pursue democratic development to the east.
Many are already calling the oil deal the Putin-Schroeder Pact, making reference to the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact which carved up the Baltic States between Germany and the USSR. Opposition to this deal has been slow to develop, considering the potential consequences. |