In a recent address at the London Defence Conference, Polish President Andrzej Duda revealed Poland’s key expectations for the upcoming NATO summit scheduled to take place in Vilnius on July 11-12. Duda emphasized the need for a stronger NATO presence on the eastern flank and urged allies to increase their defence spending.
Referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Duda highlighted the pressing circumstances in the region, stating, “The situation across the region forces us, like never before, to join efforts in strengthening the North Atlantic Alliance, which needs to effectively deter the aggressor. Of crucial importance in this regard will be the decisions made at the Vilnius summit.”
The top priority for Poland, according to President Duda, is to reinforce the defence capabilities of Nato’s eastern flank by augmenting the number of deployed NATO troops in the region.
President Duda further advocated for the strengthening of NATO response forces, in line with the decisions made at the previous summit held in Madrid in 2022, by significantly increasing the headcount from 40,000 to 300,000 troops.
Additionally, the Polish president emphasized Poland’s support for the establishment of a multi-corps land forces component within the country.
Finally, President Duda emphasized the need for all NATO allies to boost their defence spending.
“And let me stress – all allies. We must bear in mind that NATO forces are not solely comprised of US troops. It is a collective potential contributed by every member of the alliance,”
he stated.
President Duda’s address at the London Defence Conference showcased Poland’s clear priorities for the upcoming NATO summit, focusing on reinforcing the eastern flank, increasing NATO response forces, advocating for a multi-corps land forces component, and encouraging all allies to enhance their defence spending. These objectives reflect Poland’s commitment to bolstering the North Atlantic Alliance in the face of the evolving security challenges in the region.