In response to Russia’s plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has expressed Poland’s strong interest in joining NATO’s Nuclear Sharing program. This initiative, which entails the sharing of nuclear weapons among member countries, was first raised by Polish President Andrzej Duda in an interview with Gazeta Polska last year.
During a conference in Brussels, Prime Minister Morawiecki was questioned about the possibility of Poland participating in the Nuclear Sharing program, particularly in light of Russia’s nuclear ambitions in Belarus.
In his response, Morawiecki emphasized the urgent need for NATO’s collective action and stated, “Due to the fact that Russia intends to site tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, we are all the more asking the whole of NATO about taking part in the Nuclear Sharing program. We declare our willingness to act quickly on this matter.”
However, he acknowledged that the final decision would depend on Poland’s US partners, adding, “We declare our willingness to act quickly in this regard.”
Morawiecki stressed that Poland does not wish to remain idle while facing an escalating threat from Russia. “We don’t want to sit with our arms crossed while Putin escalates a different type of threat,” he stated firmly.
Nuclear Sharing: Empowering Non-Nuclear NATO Members in Planning for Nuclear Weapons Use
Nuclear Sharing is an integral part of NATO’s nuclear deterrence policy, enabling non-nuclear member countries to participate in the planning for the use of nuclear weapons within the alliance. Under this program, certain countries host these weapons while they remain under the control of the United States.
Since November 2009, American nuclear weapons have been deployed in Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands as part of the Nuclear Sharing program.
It is worth recalling that last year, President Andrzej Duda revealed in an interview with Gazeta Polska that Poland was in discussions with the United States regarding its potential inclusion in the Nuclear Sharing program and the broader NATO nuclear program.
The president’s stance garnered support from numerous politicians, including Jarosław Kaczyński, the President of the Law and Justice party, who stated, “I think it would be a very good solution.” Thanks to the interview with Gazeta Polska, many Polish citizens became aware of Nuclear Sharing and its potential impact on national security.
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