Poland should start working on developing nuclear weapons as protection against the growing threat from Russia. This was stated by Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who, in his own words, supports the idea of the country joining a "nuclear project" as part of its security strategy.
"I am a big supporter of Poland joining the nuclear project. This path, while respecting all international regulations, is the path we should take," Nawrocki said Sunday in an interview with Polsat television.
The president argued that Poland is on the brink of armed conflict and considers Russia a direct threat. "We are a country on the brink of war. Russia's aggressive stance toward Poland is well known," he added.
Poland's options are limited
Poland has long criticized the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force in 2021 and prohibits the development, testing, or use of nuclear weapons. Warsaw has repeatedly voted against UN resolutions calling on states to ratify the agreement.
However, according to experts, Poland has no realistic prospects of becoming an independent nuclear power. Nikolai Sokov, a former Soviet and Russian arms control negotiator, told The Telegraph that Poland does not have the necessary materials or capacity to produce its own nuclear warheads.
"We will definitely not see Poland building its own nuclear weapons," he said. According to him, it is more likely that Poland will seek to become a host country for American nuclear weapons under the NATO program.
The idea of a nuclear arsenal in Poland is not new. Former President Andrzej Duda has already indicated that he has held discussions with the United States about the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons on Polish territory. Current Prime Minister Donald Tusk has also confirmed that he and Emmanuel Macron have held "serious" talks about whether Poland could be protected under the French nuclear umbrella.
European nuclear umbrella
Several European countries are discussing the need for their own nuclear strategy. The reasons for this are growing security threats from Moscow and deteriorating relations with the United States.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina said at the Munich Security Conference that "nuclear deterrence can bring new opportunities" for Europe's defense.
Germany and France have already begun negotiations on the creation of a European nuclear umbrella that could protect the continent even without direct support from Washington. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that he and French President Emmanuel Macron had opened initial talks on European nuclear deterrence.
"It will be fully anchored in nuclear sharing within NATO. We will not have zones with different levels of security in Europe," Merz said.
(reuters, The Telegraph, mja)