Western nuclear weapons right outside Russia’s gates: According to President Duda, Poland is ready for deployment if NATO deems it necessary. With his statement, Duda provoked the Kremlin, which immediately threatened countermeasures.
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has declared his country’s willingness to station nuclear weapons on Polish territory. “If our allies decide to station nuclear weapons on our territory as part of nuclear sharing in order to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, we are ready to do so,” said Duda in an interview with the newspaper Fakt.
NATO member Poland is one of Ukraine’s most important supporters and borders both the Russian exclave Kaliningrad and Russia’s ally Belarus.
The question of a possible stationing of nuclear weapons in Poland has been discussed between Poland and the USA for “some time,” said Duda. “I have already raised this topic several times.” The president, who is currently in Canada, discussed the Ukraine war with former US President Donald Trump during a visit to the United States last week. He had already met Trump’s successor Joe Biden in March.
“Russia is increasingly militarizing the Kaliningrad region,” Duda continued. He also referred to the stationing of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which Moscow moved there in the summer of 2023. As president, Duda is commander-in-chief of the Polish armed forces.
Poland and its borders with Kaliningrad and Belarus.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who belongs to a different political camp but shares Duda’s views on national security, told reporters he urgently needed to discuss this proposal with the president.
Federal Government expresses itself positively
The federal government sees Poland’s offer as fundamentally positive. “In principle, we are of course very pleased about the role that Poland plays within the European Union or within NATO,” said deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann when asked. The federal government really appreciates “that Poland is making such a strong contribution to this.”
Federal Defense Ministry spokesman Arne Collatz added: “The more and the closer you work together, the better it is for the entire alliance.”
Threats from Russia
In view of Duda’s statements, Russia threatened to take countermeasures if nuclear weapons were actually stationed on Polish territory. “Military representatives will of course analyze the situation and, in any case, take all necessary measures in response to guarantee our security,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, without going into further detail.
Since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons.
Lavrov warns the West
Against the background of new US aid for Ukraine, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also warned of a direct clash with Western states. With regard to the nuclear powers USA, Great Britain and France, he said: “What is particularly worrying is the fact that the ‘troika’ of Western nuclear states is among the main sponsors of the criminal Kiev regime and the main initiators of various provocative steps.” This would increase nuclear risks. Lavrov rejected talks to limit nuclear weapons.
Tusk: Can Ukraine not be a “patriot”?Anti-aircraft system give
Even if new aid is on the horizon for Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia, Kiev cannot count on a delivery of “Patriot” anti-aircraft systems from Poland. Prime Minister Tusk said his country currently has no option for this.
He announced that he would receive NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for talks on Tuesday.