Poland’s president has stated that he believes all NATO countries should spend 3% of their GDP on defense. In 2006, NATO defense ministers agreed to commit a minimum of 2% of their GDP to this cause.
Speaking at the opening of a National Security Council on Monday, ahead of his joint visit with Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the U.S. on Tuesday, President Andrzej Duda said: “During our visit to the White House, I want to propose that the member states of NATO decide together that one of the conditions of the Alliance would be to spend not only 2% but 3% of each country’s GDP on defense.”
He added that he was planning to discuss this proposal with all of Poland’s allies, including Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s secretary general, and highlighted the importance of the Alliance staying resilient and ready.
He said: “It has to be efficient, united. It must also fulfill its commitments, which were agreed upon at successive summits.
“If we claim we strengthen our defenses, so that no one dares to attack NATO, then we must add one thing: no one will dare to attack countries who are able to defend themselves, who are ready, and who will rise to the defense of their borders.”
He went on to say that Poland is today becoming such a country “thanks to the execution of this most important task at hand” by those in power.
According to him, this goal was realized by the country’s previous government and is continued by the current one as well.
“For that, I want to thank you, Prime Minister (Donald Tusk) and Deputy Prime Minister (Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz),” he said.
Duda also said he believed that this task could be peacefully finalized so that “Poland can be truly strong.”
He added that he was planning to discuss this proposal with all of Poland’s allies, including Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s secretary general, and highlighted the importance of the Alliance staying resilient and ready.
He said: “It has to be efficient, united. It must also fulfill its commitments, which were agreed upon at successive summits.
“If we claim we strengthen our defenses, so that no one dares to attack NATO, then we must add one thing: no one will dare to attack countries who are able to defend themselves, who are ready, and who will rise to the defense of their borders.”
He went on to say that Poland is today becoming such a country “thanks to the execution of this most important task at hand” by those in power.
According to him, this goal was realized by the country’s previous government and is continued by the current one as well.
“For that, I want to thank you, Prime Minister (Donald Tusk) and Deputy Prime Minister (Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz),” he said.
Duda also said he believed that this task could be peacefully finalized so that “Poland can be truly strong.”
