WARSAW, Poland — President Andrzej Duda of Poland has reiterated his request for the United States to station nuclear weapons in Poland as a defense strategy against potential Russian aggression. This marks another step in Poland’s growing concern for nuclear security as tensions with Russia rise.
In a discussion with the Financial Times, Duda revived a request initially directed at the Biden administration in 2022. His suggestion highlights an increasing focus on nuclear protection within NATO’s eastern member states.
Wojciech Kolarski, Duda’s adviser on international matters, emphasized this stance during an interview with Poland’s RMF FM radio. He stated that nuclear defense systems would enhance Poland’s security, considering its strategic position on NATO’s eastern boundary, adjacent to Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia’s Kaliningrad territory.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is politically opposed to Duda, mentioned last week that Poland is also engaged in discussions with France. This dialogue revolves around President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal about utilizing France’s nuclear arsenal to shield Europe against Russian threats, an initiative Russia labeled as “extremely confrontational.”
In a parliamentary session, Tusk expressed this as Macron signaled the onset of a “strategic debate” regarding the implementation of France’s nuclear capabilities for safeguarding European nations, amid fears of dwindling U.S. involvement. In a broadcasted speech, Macron characterized Russia as a direct “threat to France and Europe.”
Currently, France remains the sole nation within the EU equipped with nuclear arms, rendering its participation and proposals critical in the broader discourse of European defense strategies.
