President Andrzej Duda’s remarks about Donald Tusk’s announcement of Poland’s entry into a German-led air defense project underscore that the President views this from the perspective of Polish national interest, not the interests of the German arms industry, said PiS lawmaker Andrzej Śliwka during an interview with Katarzyna Gójska on Telewizja Republika. The program discussed the head of state’s interview with the Free Speech Zone station, revealing that not only was the President unaware of Tusk’s plan, but so were members of the National Defense Committee.
Recently, Donald Tusk announced that Poland intends to join a European air defense program pushed by Germany. On Telewizja Republika, President Duda stated that he had not been consulted about this matter. He noted that for Poland, this proposal comes too late as the country has significantly developed its own defense systems. According to him, if the German project could benefit Poland, it would be worth considering; however, current scant information suggests it will not.
The issue was also discussed on the “On Point” program on Telewizja Republika.
“Perspective of Polish National Interest”
“My view aligns closely with the President’s assessment,” stated lawmaker Andrzej Śliwka. He noted that Poland has been engaged in developing air defense systems for many years, citing the Wisła, Narew, and Pilica projects. “The Polish government, especially in recent years, has accelerated efforts to ensure that missile defense in Poland is at the highest level, which is progressively being realized after years of neglect during 2007-2015,” he said.
“These are very high-level projects. The German project, known as the ‘Iron Dome,’ only emerged two years ago and is currently insufficient to fully secure Poland’s interests. I really appreciated President Andrzej Duda’s statement. It shows that the President looks from the perspective of Polish national interest, not the interest of the German arms industry,” he emphasized. He added that if the German idea could support Polish defense, it might be worth a look. However, in his view, deciding to abandon Polish projects without consulting experts and joining the German proposal would be thoughtless.
“Poland Should Maintain Alliances”
Janusz Piechociński from PSL believes that such a security discussion is tied to the upcoming European Parliament elections. He said that such a crucial issue should be removed from political controversy. He also stated that Poland should recognize the importance of alliances.
Ikonowicz and Fear of Armageddon
Piotr Ikonowicz from the Polish Socialist Party adopted a similar narrative, saying, “Civic Platform wants to outdo PiS in scaring people with conflict.” He suggested that the necessity for missile shields might yet be proven unnecessary. “I believe we are all sufficiently afraid of Armageddon, the end of the world, including the Russians, who are not suicidal enough to let nuclear blackmail lead to a conventional conflict in Europe between these two blocs,” he remarked, adding, “regardless, it’s good to be prepared.”
“We All Know That We Do Not Know”
According to Sebastian Łukasiewicz from Sovereign Poland, given how little is known about the Berlin project, Tusk’s declaration to join might stem from his fascination with Germany. “We all know very well that we do not know what this air defense system, which the Germans are pushing, looks like,” he said. He noted that even members of the defense committee have not been briefed on the details. “We will definitely be questioning Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz about it, because Donald Tusk keeps saying we are entering something just because the Germans are doing it… there likely will be no benefits for the Polish arms industry from this system, and it might just mean that we once again support the German economy, German arms manufacturers in building this system,” he stated, emphasizing that Poland should first focus on developing its own projects.