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Polish Marshal Elżbieta Witek highlighted Poland’s leading role in defense spending within NATO during a recent parliamentary meeting in Vilnius. With a current budget allocation of 3% of GDP for defense, Poland plans to increase its spending to 4%, surpassing other member states. Marshal Witek emphasized the importance of solidarity and support for Ukraine, particularly in the military dimension, to ensure collective security. Proposals to raise the defense spending threshold to 2.5% of GDP will be discussed at the upcoming NATO summit in July.
Poland, a key member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), continues to advocate for increased defense spending among its allies. During a parliamentary meeting in Vilnius, Polish Marshal Elżbieta Witek emphasized Poland’s commitment to allocating substantial resources for defense.
It turns out that we are currently effectively leading because we have 3% of GDP allocated to defense in the budget, but in reality, we will spend 4% – the most among NATO countries.”
said Marshal Witek, highlighting Poland’s leading position in defense spending within the alliance.
Marshal Witek acknowledged the financial challenges associated with allocating significant funds to defense but emphasized the necessity of doing so. “Security is invaluable”, she stated.
Poland intends to propose raising the defense spending threshold to 2.5% of GDP at the upcoming NATO summit in July. Marshal Witek stressed the importance of burden-sharing, stating, “These burdens must also be borne by other NATO members, including EU countries”
Solidarity and support for Ukraine were also key topics discussed during the meeting. Marshal Witek highlighted the collective agreement among NATO members that Ukraine’s victory, particularly in the military realm, is crucial for ensuring overall security.
“The most important thing is that we all agree on one thing – we must be united, we must support Ukraine in every dimension, especially militarily”
Marshal Witek emphasized.
As the NATO summit approaches, Poland’s call for increased defense spending and collective support for Ukraine stands as a vital component of strengthening the alliance and ensuring the security of its member states. The upcoming discussions in July will shed light on the commitment of NATO nations to collective defense and solidarity.