President Andrzej Duda said on Thursday he had invited Prime Minister Donald Tusk to meet at the Presidential Palace on May 1 to discuss the Nuclear Sharing program and Poland's upcoming presidency of the EU Council.
The president made the announcement at a press conference at the lower house of parliament, the Sejm, held after he listened to a briefing by Foreign Ministry chief Radosław Sikorski on Polish foreign policy aims for 2024.
“I hope to discuss with the Prime Minister the issue of Nuclear Sharing, which he wanted to discuss with me, although frankly I have spoken about it with him before, so he should know our position on this issue, but of course I will be happy to talk with him about it,” Duda said.
He added that another topic he intends to discuss with the head of government is the issue of Poland’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, which the president said he believes is “also of great importance for building both our European relations and with the United States.”
Nuclear Sharing is a NATO program that forms part of the alliance’s nuclear deterrence policy. It makes nuclear warheads available to member states without their own atomic weapons.
Since November 2009, under Nuclear Sharing, U.S. nuclear weapons have been located in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey.
In a Monday interview with Polish daily Fakt, the president made the Polish position clear.
“If there was such a decision by our allies to deploy nuclear weapons within the framework of Nuclear Sharing on our territory, in order to strengthen the security of NATO’s eastern flank, then we are ready for it,” he said.
Asked about the statement, Prime Minister Tusk said he was waiting to meet with President Duda regarding his declaration on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Poland.
“I hope to discuss with the Prime Minister the issue of Nuclear Sharing, which he wanted to discuss with me, although frankly I have spoken about it with him before, so he should know our position on this issue, but of course I will be happy to talk with him about it,” Duda said.
He added that another topic he intends to discuss with the head of government is the issue of Poland’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, which the president said he believes is “also of great importance for building both our European relations and with the United States.”
Nuclear Sharing is a NATO program that forms part of the alliance’s nuclear deterrence policy. It makes nuclear warheads available to member states without their own atomic weapons.
Since November 2009, under Nuclear Sharing, U.S. nuclear weapons have been located in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey.
In a Monday interview with Polish daily Fakt, the president made the Polish position clear.
“If there was such a decision by our allies to deploy nuclear weapons within the framework of Nuclear Sharing on our territory, in order to strengthen the security of NATO’s eastern flank, then we are ready for it,” he said.
Asked about the statement, Prime Minister Tusk said he was waiting to meet with President Duda regarding his declaration on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Poland.
He stressed that he would like for possible initiatives to be very well prepared “so that we all have the conviction that we want this.”
Later on Thursday, Foreign Minister Sikorski took issue with Duda’s openness on the subject, telling reporters the president had overstepped his remit. He explained that foreign policy was the responsibility of the Cabinet and that Duda had not been authorized by the government to speak openly on the subject. He explained the president merely “implements [foreign] policy, even if he doesn’t agree with it.”
“The Council of Ministers did not authorize the president to speak publicly, in an international forum, about the Nuclear Sharing program. The less said about this matter, the better," Sikorski said, adding that he thought Duda had “gone too far.”
Sikorski went on to say that he had spoken “very briefly” with Duda about the issue during a meeting on Wednesday.
“Simply, these are very serious and difficult issues that are discussed at allied meetings at quite a high level," he said.
Later on Thursday, Foreign Minister Sikorski took issue with Duda’s openness on the subject, telling reporters the president had overstepped his remit. He explained that foreign policy was the responsibility of the Cabinet and that Duda had not been authorized by the government to speak openly on the subject. He explained the president merely “implements [foreign] policy, even if he doesn’t agree with it.”
“The Council of Ministers did not authorize the president to speak publicly, in an international forum, about the Nuclear Sharing program. The less said about this matter, the better," Sikorski said, adding that he thought Duda had “gone too far.”
Sikorski went on to say that he had spoken “very briefly” with Duda about the issue during a meeting on Wednesday.
“Simply, these are very serious and difficult issues that are discussed at allied meetings at quite a high level," he said.
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