President Andrzej Duda, speaking before his departure for the NATO summit in The Hague, stated that a decision to increase defense spending by Allied countries—if made—would be a historic breakthrough. He declared his intention to actively advocate for such a move and announced that he would also raise the issue of the European defense industry.
Leaders of NATO member states will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday at the summit in The Hague to discuss the challenges facing the Alliance.
President Andrzej Duda, who will represent Poland at the summit, told reporters during a pre-departure briefing that his primary goal is to secure a commitment from NATO member states to increase defense spending. He stressed that, in his view, such a decision is essential in the face of Russian imperialism.
“During the Cold War, when Soviet aggression threatened Europe and the world, NATO countries spent 3% of their GDP on defense, and this proved effective. We need to return to that experience, as Russian imperialism has reemerged,” he argued. The President emphasized that if the decision to increase defense spending is adopted—“and we are all watching this with great optimism”—it will be a breakthrough and a historic step.
At the summit beginning on Tuesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is expected to present a proposal calling for member states to allocate 5% of GDP to defense spending. This would include 3.5% for core defense expenditures and 1.5% for infrastructure and industry-related security investments.
On Tuesday, the President reiterated that in addition to defense spending, he intends to raise the broader topic of Alliance security in the context of the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. He will also focus on the European defense industry, which he believes should strive for self-sufficiency. As Duda pointed out, “It is easy to raise defense spending levels, but one must also have something to buy with those funds.”
“We will also be discussing the development and construction of pipelines from Western European countries to deliver, above all, aviation fuel to NATO’s eastern flank. This is an obvious challenge and it must be addressed,” the President added.
Duda also called on Polish parliamentarians to support his proposal to introduce a constitutional amendment setting a minimum threshold of 4% of GDP for annual defense spending. “In my opinion, the constitutional majority required to change such a provision would provide sufficient safeguards to strengthen Poland’s security,” the President stated.
In addition to President Duda, the Polish delegation to the NATO summit in The Hague will include Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and Deputy Minister of National Defense Paweł Zalewski.
The summit of leaders will begin on Tuesday evening upon the arrival of NATO heads of state and government at the historic Huis ten Bosch palace in The Hague. There, participants will attend a dinner hosted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. On Wednesday morning, the North Atlantic Council will meet at the level of heads of state and government, with the summit concluding later that afternoon.
Several other events will take place alongside the NATO summit, including a working dinner of the NATO–Ukraine Council for foreign ministers and a separate working dinner of defense ministers within the framework of the North Atlantic Council.
Ahead of the summit, a meeting is scheduled between Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.