Earlier this month, Elon Musk inserted himself into another political debate about Russia’s war on Ukraine. In his comments, he noted his Starlink system as the “backbone” of the Ukrainian army, asserting that, “their entire frontline would collapse” if he turned it off. Catching the eye of Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, he responded by noting Poland’s annual contributions toward paying for Starlink access for Ukraine, noting that Poland will have to seek out other suppliers if SpaceX proves unreliable.
The Polish Foreign Minister’s comments were met with resistance from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Musk himself, with Rubio accusing Sikorski of “making things up” and Musk telling him, “be quiet, small man.” In the end, Musk pledged to keep Ukraine’s access to Starlink live. This is welcome news, but the spat with the Polish Foreign Minister was wholly unnecessary and unproductive. Poland has stood out from the pack, proving to be a strong and reliable ally. In February, the U.S. Secretary of Defense rightfully called Poland a “model ally.” America should act like it.
Musk’s role as a private sector innovator has been indispensable to U.S. national security and global competitiveness. His work as head of the Department of Government of Efficiency, while not perfect, is admirable, with a review of federal government spending long overdue. His closeness with President Donald Trump has set him up to be seen as a close, unofficial advisor, and his words carry much weight among world leaders. Whether Musk intended to put Starlink’s reliability in Ukraine in doubt or not, this is how it was perceived, and America should seek to reassure Poland, our close ally — not clash with them publicly.
Calling attention to the issue of several NATO member states failing to meet the minimum defense spending requirement is fair and necessary. Too many have fallen behind for too long, and the United States should put pressure on them to meet these requirements. Affirming the commitments of our most reliable allies is just as important.
Poland already spends more than double the NATO minimum 2% of GDP on defense spending requirement, spending 4.12% in 2024, the highest of any NATO member, with a plan to achieve 4.7% this year. This month, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans to vastly increase the size of his country’s army, from 200,000 to 500,000, and to require all men in Poland to receive military training.
During Russia’s war on Ukraine, Poland has proudly taken on the role as the center of the flow of Western aid to Ukraine and continues to put pressure on its European allies to rise to the occasion. And Poland is emerging not just as a major regional military power, but an economic one too. The latest IMF World Economic Outlook expects Poland to surpass Japan in GDP per capita next year, a feat largely achieved through an embrace of economic freedom.
Further, Poland overwhelmingly holds America in high regard. A 2024 Pew Research survey found Poland to have the most positive view of America of the 34 countries polled, with 86% of Poles indicating they hold a favorable view. In contrast, in Hungary, often lauded as a model by national populists, 52% indicate the same.
Poland, once held hostage by Soviet communism for more than four decades, regained its liberty and autonomy in 1989. Ever since, the country has worked to champion American ideals, advancing freedom of expression, enterprise, religion, and more. Poland fully understands the stakes of this moment and is evidently serious about securing itself and the region from a hostile, authoritarian neighbor seeking to expand its borders and rule. The Poles stand to become an even stronger economic partner and are unwavering in their mission to hold the line against encroaching external tyranny — exactly the kind of resolve America should seek in an ally.
Engaging in X disputes like the one earlier this month with high-ranking Polish officials is unproductive, unnecessary, and risks raising eyebrows in Warsaw regarding confidence in American assurances and security infrastructure. With Poland’s commitment to bolstering its defensive capabilities, advancing our shared goals and values, and emergence as an even stronger economic partner, it is in America’s interest to maintain strong ties with them and distinguish them as the model ally that they are.
Ed Tarnowski is a writer for Young Voices, a Policy and Advocacy Director at EdChoice, and host of the State of Choice Podcast. He received bachelor's degrees in political science and marketing from the University of Rhode Island. Follow him on X @edtarnowski. The views and opinions expressed in this writing are strictly his own and do not reflect the views of his employer.
