On July 25, 2014, Major General Janusz Bojarski became the first Pole to be appointed the Commandant of the NATO Defense College (NDC), located in Rome (Italy). He will come to Kyiv for April 20-26 week to take part in the International NATO Week, which has become an annual event. Has NATO found an adequate response to the Russian aggression in Ukraine, is the alliance ready to confront the “hybrid war” launched by Russia? What can the NATO Defense College do to help Ukraine train its military elite? Answers to all these questions are contained in Commandant Bojarski’s exclusive interview with The Day.
“NATO responded to Russia’s actions with every diplomatic means possible. Aggressive measures are not contemplated in the goal of restoring a full-fledged relationship. NATO aims to multiply interactions, once again through the use of communication in place of confrontation. The ceasefire is the best foundation for a peaceful solution.
“The crucial aspect in solving the Ukrainian crisis is to continue the path of negotiations, discussions, and meetings at a diplomatic and political level.
“To find a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis is ‘important and urgent.’ A strong NATO is essential if we are to engage Russia with confidence. A constructive NATO-Russia relationship would benefit the Euro-Atlantic community, and the entire international order; but international rules must be respected – not rewritten, and certainly not violated.
“NATO has responded to the new strategic reality caused by Russia’s illegal actions by reinforcing the defense of Allies in Central and Eastern Europe, and by ensuring the ability to further reinforce it if necessary, including by upgrading infrastructure.”
Many experts believe that NATO was not prepared for the “hybrid” war unleashed by Russia past year. Why was it that way?
“NATO stands ready to defend all Allies against any threat, whether conventional or hybrid. Hybrid threats also affect the economy and cyberspace; to respond to these threats, we are strengthening our coordination with other organizations, including the European Union. Working together with other important organizations at this moment in time is crucial, as we now see hybrid threats on a much greater scale and at a higher level of intensity. Russia has used deception, proxy soldiers, unmarked special forces, undercover transfers of equipment, intimidation and propaganda to obscure its true purpose. NATO is developing a strategy to counter hybrid threats, but this does not mean that it’s the first time that we had to face such an issue. The very first example of hybrid warfare goes back to the Trojan Horse. The situation is continually evolving, and thus predictions are difficult. What is sure is that positive steps have been achieved.”
What is the NATO Defense College planning to do to make the Alliance better prepared for such scenarios in the future?
“The NDC brings together individuals and institutions from all parts of the world. Therefore, enhancing readiness for the future, cohesion and consensus building are leading objectives of our College. But security challenges will inevitably evolve, while political crisis and tensions will take place again. Unfortunately, we may not prevent future confrontation and transgression; however, we can effectively address the specific menaces and challenges which will arise.
“As the Alliance’s premier academic institution, the NATO Defense College serves as an important bridge between the 28 member states, the Partnership for Peace, the Mediterranean Dialogue, the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative nations, and our Global Partners. Through its educational activities, the College seeks to bring together personalities from different cultures and geographical backgrounds. Our courses mould officers who think alike, who share the same fundamental ideas, who are able to communicate in several languages, to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances and, above all, capable of enhancing dialogue and partnership across the globe.
“With the hope of essentially safeguarding the peace and security of the Euro-Atlantic area in the 21st century and in the future, thanks to the energy and shared actions of our Course Members, the NDC will host an international research conference entitled ‘NATO and New Ways of Warfare: Defeating Hybrid Threats,’ on April 29-30, 2015. This will serve as a forum to discuss the ends and ways required in the development of associated strategies, for the promotion of unity and peacekeeping.”
How can the college help Ukraine train its military elite?
“The NATO Defense College provides all the necessary tools to help Ukrainian military and civil personnel to grow and expand their knowledge regarding past, present, and future events.
“The College is a centre of information and knowledge, where ideas, cultural traditions, and religious beliefs are respected. This is why the NDC is a much needed environment, encouraging Course Members and staff to share their ideas with their peers from all over the world.
“Over the years many Ukrainian nationals have had the opportunity to attend courses and work at NDC: 10 have attended the Senior Course (SC), and 65 have completed the Integrated Partner Orientation Course (IPOC). Under the NDC’s Fellowship Program, several Ukrainian nationals have been selected to conduct research, which now more than ever represents a vital source of information. The NATO Defense College has taken part over the past 15 years in the International NATO Week in Kyiv, and this April will celebrate 15 years of cooperation with the National Ukrainian Defense University, conducted in a spirit of friendship and mutual respect with the prime focus on education and strategic thinking.
“In light of current events, the College has dedicated the efforts of researchers and related resources to examining several problems originating in the Ukrainian crisis. This makes the NATO Defense College one of the most authoritative sources on this delicate topic.”
What will be the message of your coming lecture for Ukrainian soldiers here in Kyiv?
“The main message I want to convey is that NATO stands by Ukraine’s side at this very difficult and complicated moment in time, to guarantee the country’s sovereignty and independence. During the 15th International NATO Week in Kyiv, there are some interesting lectures scheduled, such as ‘Legal aspects of asymmetry and hybrid warfare,’ ‘NATO following the Wales Summit,’ ‘NATO-Ukraine relations’ and others.
“You see, at the NDC we do not teach anything, we just give our Course Members the tools and capabilities enabling them to have a global approach to all problems, and we want to share these tools with the Ukrainian military. This approach and mentality will help create the atmosphere which is the indispensable basis for individuals to get to know each other better, interact, and discuss matters frankly and openly, thus ensuring constructive work towards a solution of the Ukrainian problem and of all major issues that come within our purview as an Alliance.”
What does your appointment to this position in the alliance mean for you as the first Pole in it?
“It is a great honor to be the first Polish Commandant of the NATO Defense College, an institution that my country is deeply committed to and fully supports. I am very happy regarding my initial period of command at the College, and I hope, together with my colleagues, to continue to honor this responsibility and bring even greater distinction to the NDC, as what former Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer called ‘an indispensable part of the new NATO.’
“The strategic-level courses at the NDC ensure that its graduates have a firm grasp of the new challenges that may affect our future security. The main concern has always been to give Course Members a broad and open-minded vision of political and security problems, developing keen political instincts and considerable diplomatic skills. Along with education, outreach is also one of the key specialties of the NDC: promoting the values of the NATO community, upholding the spirit of dialogue and cooperation, to avoid future crisis scenarios like that which we are now addressing.”
