Polish President Andrzej Duda has said that increasing NATO’s defense spending will prevent “the next world war.”
Duda suggested that NATO member states should increase their defense spending to at least 3% of their GDP – up from the alliance’s current target of 2%.
The president was speaking at the 32nd International Defense Industry Exhibition, an annual forum for defense industry firms from around the world, held in the southeastern Polish city of Kielce.
“I have no doubt that raising the defense spending level and making NATO countries' armies really strong... will avert a big war, the next world war,” Polish state news agency PAP cited Duda as saying.
Duda also said that by committing 4% of its GDP to national defense spending, Poland is in the vanguard of NATO member states.
Warsaw is planning to hike its military spending even further. Poland’s 2025 budget allocates 4.7% of GDP next year to defense—a record amount aimed at bolstering the country’s security at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and fears of Russian aggression.
Addressing recent reports in German media that Poland is behaving as if its allies would not come to its aid in a crisis, Duda said: “Yes, that’s right. We are behaving as if no one would help us, because we believe that we are first and foremost responsible for our own security.”
Duda added that Poland is nevertheless confident in the support of its allies.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, also speaking at the defense exhibition, announced that Poland would sign new military contracts worth two billion zloty (€467 million).
The planned deals are aimed in part to further develop missile defense and radar systems, and will involve Polish state-owned and private firms, as well as investments with foreign partners, PAP reported.
The president was speaking at the 32nd International Defense Industry Exhibition, an annual forum for defense industry firms from around the world, held in the southeastern Polish city of Kielce.
“I have no doubt that raising the defense spending level and making NATO countries' armies really strong... will avert a big war, the next world war,” Polish state news agency PAP cited Duda as saying.
Duda also said that by committing 4% of its GDP to national defense spending, Poland is in the vanguard of NATO member states.
Warsaw is planning to hike its military spending even further. Poland’s 2025 budget allocates 4.7% of GDP next year to defense—a record amount aimed at bolstering the country’s security at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and fears of Russian aggression.
Addressing recent reports in German media that Poland is behaving as if its allies would not come to its aid in a crisis, Duda said: “Yes, that’s right. We are behaving as if no one would help us, because we believe that we are first and foremost responsible for our own security.”
Duda added that Poland is nevertheless confident in the support of its allies.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, also speaking at the defense exhibition, announced that Poland would sign new military contracts worth two billion zloty (€467 million).
The planned deals are aimed in part to further develop missile defense and radar systems, and will involve Polish state-owned and private firms, as well as investments with foreign partners, PAP reported.
More In Politics MORE...
