Polish-Atlantic relations—particularly those with the United States—are of critical importance here and now, President Andrzej Duda emphasized during a speech at Castle Square in Warsaw. He also made a direct appeal to Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
Speaking at Saturday’s ceremony, President Duda placed strong emphasis on national security.
“I will never forget the words of President Lech Kaczyński, spoken to me in the quiet of his office back in 2008. I remember them as if it were yesterday—they still ring in my ears: ‘When American military secrets are being guarded here, the world will know this is no longer a Russian sphere of influence,’” Duda recalled.
“And this is no longer a Russian sphere of influence. Certainly not,” he affirmed.
Duda acknowledged growing calls for deepening European alliances. “We keep hearing that we need to strengthen our European partnerships. And we do. I have no doubt about that. We must cooperate with our allies, shorten supply chains, and boost weapons production within NATO’s European framework. Yes, we should actively engage in that,” he said.
However, he underscored that “what matters most here and now are Polish-Atlantic relations—specifically Polish-American ties.” He noted that this is why he maintains close working relationships across four consecutive U.S. presidential administrations.
The president then issued a pointed appeal to Defense Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz:
“Let’s also focus on building our own weapon systems. This is my appeal to the Minister of National Defense: Minister, I urge you to ensure strong support for the Borsuk infantry fighting vehicle. Let it become not only a symbol of the Polish military, but also a successful export product. We must back our domestic defense industry. Please pursue this with full commitment.”