Yesterday, President Andrzej Duda held a briefing for the executives of the Armed Forces, during which a number of important topics concerning national security and allied cooperation were discussed. The meeting was particularly significant in the context of the North Atlantic Alliance Summit in Vilnius. Duda thanked PM Mateusz Morawiecki and Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak for their commitment to the development of the Armed Forces and good policy decisions.
One of the key topics discussed during the briefing was the context of NATO’s nuclear deterrence doctrine in light of the changing security situation in Eastern Europe. In relation to the relocation of Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus, the President, together with the President of Lithuania and the President of Latvia, sent a letter to the NATO Secretary General and the Heads of State and Government of the Alliance, noting the need to discuss this issue at the forthcoming NATO Summit. The situation in Belarus and the actions announced by the Russian President provide an important context for these talks.
An important point of discussion during the briefing was the situation and modernisation of the Polish Armed Forces. The President emphasised that Poland is at the forefront of the North Atlantic Alliance in terms of defence spending. The defence budget for the current year is approximately 3.9% of GDP, which is a significant increase compared to previous years. Poland continues to purchase modern military equipment such as FA-50 aircraft from South Korea, Abrams tanks from the United States and K9 cannon howitzers. Own productions, such as the Krab artillery and the new Borsuk infantry fighting vehicle, will also strengthen the Polish army’s potential. It is also important to increase the size of the Polish Armed Forces.
The President also emphasised the need to strengthen security in Central and Eastern Europe and to build regional defence plans. It is important to implement the provisions of the NATO summit held a year ago in Madrid and to increase the readiness of the Alliance’s forces. These actions are aimed at ensuring an effective response in the event of a serious threat to any part of the Alliance, especially the eastern flank of NATO.
The briefing also discussed cooperation with Ukraine and support for its membership aspirations in NATO. The President expressed the hope that decisions would be taken at the Vilnius Summit that indicate the prospect of Ukraine’s full membership of the Alliance. Aware, however, of various contingencies, such as the content of the North Atlantic Treaty and the attitude of the Allies, the President believes that this prospect will become possible in the near future.