Poland Vows to Build Europe’s Strongest Army by 2030

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told the Defence24 Days conference in Warsaw on 6 May 2026 that the security of the state was the responsibility of society as a whole, not only the army.

He said the war in Ukraine had shown the importance of drones, artificial intelligence and cheap technologies, but added that a modern army could not do without conventional equipment such as tanks, artillery and air defense systems.

Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland wanted to build an army of 500,000 soldiers by 2030, including 300,000 professionals and 200,000 high-readiness reservists.

“By 2030, Poland will have the strongest and largest army in Europe - the best organised and equipped. We subordinate all our activities to this goal”, the minister declared.

The defense budget already stands at around 200bn zlotys, about $55.5bn at current exchange rates.

In the coming months, Poland will focus mainly on developing drones and counter-drone systems, artificial intelligence, satellite reconnaissance and long-range precision weapons.

The minister also announced new initiatives including the Cyber and Medical Legion, which will allow civilian experts to become involved in defense. He stressed the need for a stronger European defense industry, greater technological independence and faster decision-making within the EU.

At the conference, Kosiniak-Kamysz also held talks with partners from countries on NATO’s eastern flank on strengthening regional cooperation and security.

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