On November 15, 2022, the day of the alleged Russian airstrikes on Poland which left two people dead, ABC7 Chicago News interviewed President Frank Spula of the Polish National Alliance and Polish American Congress at the Polish National Alliance Home Office in Chicago. Mr. Spula stated that the news of the airstrikes crossing into Poland is upsetting and frightening, but such an incident was predicted by Former President Lech Kaczynski, who forewarned in 2008 upon the Russian invasion into Georgia, that if Russia would not be stopped, Ukraine would be next and then Poland. Mr. Spula underscored the importance of waiting to gather all the facts before taking any action. Right now, intelligence officials in Poland and the United States are collecting data before a next step is made. As Poland is a member of NATO, officials will be reviewing Article 5 to determine if there have been any violations.
When reflecting on the Polish-American community’s current emotions, Mr. Spula said he cannot speak for the entire community, but an invasion on Poland by Russia was a top concern as history tends to repeat itself. Throughout history, Poland has been subjected to frequent Russian aggression.
Mr. Spula spoke about the importance of organizations such as the Polish National Alliance and Polish American Congress in stepping up to act in Polish-Americans’ best interests. Polish American Congress was heavily involved in calling for Poland’s NATO membership, and incidents such as today’s, highlight the importance of countries defending those under serious threat. Mr. Spula hopes that if today’s airstrike was an act of Russian aggression, other countries will stand in solidarity and defend Poland as they have done so for Ukraine. Poland opened its borders to Ukrainians more than any other country has, demonstrating the importance of helping those in need.
– Monica Lebensztejn
