Poland is open to hosting nuclear weapons and has discussed the idea with the United States, President Andrzej Duda has revealed. The head of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jarosław Kaczyński, says he “fully supports” the idea.
In an interview with the Gazeta Polska weekly, Duda was asked about the idea of “nuclear sharing”, a NATO system under which countries that do not have their own nuclear weapons host those from others that do.
“There is always a potential opportunity to participate in the nuclear sharing programme,” responded Duda. “We have spoken with American leaders about whether the United States is considering such a possibility. The issue is open.”
🔴 Prezydent @AndrzejDuda na łamach jutrzejszej Gazety Polskiej mówi o udziale Polski w programie Nuclear Sharing.
Czytaj więcej na https://t.co/IaHOUFXhYX oraz wygodnej subskrypcji elektronicznej dostępnej na https://t.co/P6zoug9c6E #GazetaPolska #Duda #tygodnik #środa #media pic.twitter.com/5KZn2lIPsU
— Gazeta Polska – w każdą środę (@GPtygodnik) October 4, 2022
The president emphasised, however, “that this would not be a nuclear weapon under the control of Poland. Participation in nuclear sharing does not imply having your own nuclear weapon”.
After the interviewer pointed out that other countries which now have nuclear weapons began with nuclear sharing, Duda replied that, while this “must be viewed in terms of the distant future, I firmly believe that Poland will strengthen its security. That must be our long-term goal.”
In response to the interview, Kaczyński – who as PiS chairman is Poland’s de facto leader – told Polskie Radio that Poland joining the nuclear sharing programme “would be very good” and he “fully supports it”. In March, Kaczyński said that he “would like Poland to have a nuclear weapon” but admitted that “this idea is unrealistic”.
Prezes #PiS Jarosław #Kaczyński w #PR24 o dołączeniu Polski do programu nuclear sharing: jeśli pan prezydent ma w tej sprawie jakąś dodatkową wiedzę, której ja nie mam, że droga jest otwarta, to oczywiście całkowicie to popieram, uważam, że byłoby to bardzo dobre rozwiązanie.
— Polskie Radio 24 (@PolskieRadio24) October 4, 2022
Currently the only three NATO members with their own nuclear weapons are the US, the United Kingdom and France. Under the nuclear sharing programme, such weapons are also currently hosted in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Poland has moved to strengthen its military capabilities, including increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP, one of the highest levels in NATO. The defence minister recently declared that Poland will have “the most powerful land forces in Europe”.
NATO allies have also strengthened their commitment to Poland, including Joe Biden’s announcement in June that the US will establish a permanent military base in Poland, its first ever on NATO’s eastern flank.
Main image credit: US Department of Defense/Wikimedia Commons (under public domain)
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
