The power balance in Europe is changing with the rise of Poland, according to Andrew Neil.
The veteran journalist highlighted how the eastern European nation is rearming at a “breathtaking” rate, leaving behind larger Nato allies.
Mr Neil said Warsaw is currently spending about three percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, which is set to rise to four percent by 2025.
The “spending spree” will leave it with the biggest “combat-ready, land army” in Europe and “one of the best-equipped”.
Mr Neil said power in Europe is shifting away from France and Germany to the east.
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Writing in his Daily Mail column, the broadcaster said: “The rise of Poland as a military and diplomatic power of significance is rewriting the power balance in Europe.
“Taken together with the Nato membership of Sweden and Finland (and some rearming of their own), power in Europe is tilting east, away from Paris and Berlin, both of whom have lost their way and now squabble among themselves.
“President Macron struggles to cope with unrest on his streets, Chancellor Scholz with unrest in his unruly coalition.”
Mr Neil said Poland had been “emboldened” to take its own course of action on defence because it has been right on European security matters while Germany and France have been “hopelessly and dangerously wrong”.
Listing a series of examples, the broadcaster pointed to Poland warning Russia was set to invade Ukraine while “Germany dithered and President Macron still thought he could sweet talk President Putin out of it”.
He also highlighted how Warsaw is less reliant on Moscow’s gas and energy, while it has also been key to getting aid to Kyiv.
Mr Neil said Poland’s rise is of “enormous significance” for Britain – a leading supporter of Ukraine – as it “sees the world largely as we do”, including on Ukraine and the EU.
He added: “We have excellent relations with Warsaw, Stockholm, Helsinki, the Baltic states and other east European countries, all of whom have a high regard for us.
“It is a huge opportunity to continue to play a major role in Europe, even outside the EU, if only British statecraft can rise to the occasion.”
