Right on schedule.
By MAX TANI and ALEX THOMPSON Politico
Starting a new job as a diplomat at the fault line of Russian territorial ambition just a few days before the outbreak of the biggest war in Europe since World War II is not ideal. But that’s the hand MARK BRZEZINSKI was given.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has transformed the ambassador to Poland, once an important but lower-profile State Department assignment, into one of America’s key diplomatic roles. Less than two months after being officially sworn in, the longtime diplomat and scion of famous Polish-America foreign policy expert and former national security adviser ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI (and brother of Morning Joe host MIKA BRZEZINSKI) is now helping craft U.S. policy around the most extreme refugee crisis in decades on top of tense negotiations around military equipment transfers and security threats.
“The job has changed pretty dramatically in the past month,” said STEPHEN MULL, a former Obama administration ambassador to Poland and close colleague of Brzezinski’s.
Over the past few weeks, Brzezinski has become the main escort for a never-ending parade of U.S. and international officials arriving daily into Poland. He’s led tours with top congressional leaders and military officials like UK Prime Minister BORIS JOHNSON. On Wednesday, he’ll welcome Vice President KAMALA HARRIS, who officially swore him in just a few weeks ago. He’s also been given the task of reassuring the country, which is a member of NATO, of America’s commitment to the alliance. Most recently, he’s helped the U.S. navigate the complicated attempts to provide fighter jets to Ukraine, an exchange the Pentagon pretty much nixed today.
When Brzezinski was nominated for the job last year, the future of U.S.-Polish relations were uncertain. While Poland remains a strong U.S. military ally and NATO partner, the relationship has been strained in recent years. American diplomats and experts expressed alarm at the country’s backsliding on democratic norms, civil rights, and freedom of the press, which Brzezinski was immediately expected to tackle.
