When it comes down to it, then, Russia simply matters more to the U.S. than do Poland and the Czech Republic, despite Poland and the Czech Republic being friends and Russia not.

From Russia’s perspective, countries like Poland and the Czech Republic still play an important role as buffers against the vibrant democracies of Western Europe. The fact that Poland and the Czech Republic are themselves becoming vibrant democracies, even as Russia evolves into a neo-czarist oligarchy of sorts, worries Russia to no end. Remember, land powers are historically more insecure than sea powers, because the former’s borders provide less protection than do oceans.

This sense of insecurity on Russia’s part, despite its military and energy dominance in Eastern Europe, makes the former satellite countries particularly vulnerable—for it drives Russia to want to keep these countries weak, and allied with its own interests. And while there’s little threat these days of conventional Russian invasions, there are other means by which Russia can undermine these smaller countries: through organized crime networks, intelligence operations, and constant intimidation. Such measures could conceivably put a country like Poland in a position where it has to appease Russia in crucial ways.