Polish President Andrzej Duda has called for NATO to be strengthened and to present a united front in the face of Russia’s growing imperialist ambitions.
Speaking to Politico, Duda also blamed Russia for the onset of a new Cold War.
“We have to be honest and tell ourselves that the Cold War situation is back and it’s not due to actions of the United States, it is because of the revival of Russian imperial ambitions,” said the President.
“We can see that there is a huge deficit of security in Europe,” he continued, adding that it was vital that NATO send “a message of unity”.
“This has to be very clear,” he said, emphasizing that the alliance needed to show that it would not be intimidated by Putin. “The second message that is important to send is that NATO is strong and that NATO sees a threat emanating from Russia,” he said.
As NATO leaders meet in Washington, Duda said that Poland expected the alliance to follow “a tough and consistent policy” with regards to strengthening its defensive capabilities.
“We have to rebuild our defense industries and we have to replenish our reserves and our stocks of ammunition, we have to do it together, and today we also have to support Ukraine without any pause,” he said.
Duda reiterated criticism of the West’s slow response to the threat posed by Russia, accusing world leaders of not reacting “in the appropriate way” after Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and took Crimea in 2014.
To counter the rising menace of Putin, the president called on NATO countries to increase their defense spending to 3% of their GDP, a hike on the 2% currently set as a target. At the moment, 23 of the alliance’s 32 members are forecast to hit the 2% benchmark this year.
“We have to be honest and tell ourselves that the Cold War situation is back and it’s not due to actions of the United States, it is because of the revival of Russian imperial ambitions,” said the President.
“We can see that there is a huge deficit of security in Europe,” he continued, adding that it was vital that NATO send “a message of unity”.
“This has to be very clear,” he said, emphasizing that the alliance needed to show that it would not be intimidated by Putin. “The second message that is important to send is that NATO is strong and that NATO sees a threat emanating from Russia,” he said.
As NATO leaders meet in Washington, Duda said that Poland expected the alliance to follow “a tough and consistent policy” with regards to strengthening its defensive capabilities.
“We have to rebuild our defense industries and we have to replenish our reserves and our stocks of ammunition, we have to do it together, and today we also have to support Ukraine without any pause,” he said.
Duda reiterated criticism of the West’s slow response to the threat posed by Russia, accusing world leaders of not reacting “in the appropriate way” after Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and took Crimea in 2014.
To counter the rising menace of Putin, the president called on NATO countries to increase their defense spending to 3% of their GDP, a hike on the 2% currently set as a target. At the moment, 23 of the alliance’s 32 members are forecast to hit the 2% benchmark this year.
Source: Politico
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