- Poland plans mandatory military training for all adult men, aiming for a 500,000-strong force.
- Tusk considers joining France’s nuclear umbrella but sees Poland’s own arsenal as ideal.
- Warsaw ramps up defence spending and arms purchases, including tanks, jets, and missiles.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has confirmed that plans are underway to introduce mandatory military training for all adult men in Poland. Speaking before the Polish parliament (Sejm), Tusk said the government aims to finalise details in the coming months, with a goal of implementing a model by the end of the year.
“We will try to ensure that every adult male in Poland is trained for wartime scenarios, creating a reserve force that is both comparable and adequate to the potential threats we face,” Tusk stated.
The prime minister emphasised the need to strengthen Poland’s military capabilities in response to regional security challenges. He highlighted that Ukraine currently fields an 800,000-strong army, while Russia has approximately 1.3 million troops. In contrast, Poland’s armed forces, including reservists, currently stand at around 200,000. Tusk aims to increase this number to 500,000.
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“We need an army of half a million, including reservists,” he said. “If we organise things wisely, we will have to use several approaches—including expanding the reserve force and conducting intensive training for those not serving in the military—to ensure they are capable soldiers in the event of conflict.”
While the training program is primarily aimed at men, Tusk noted that women may also be included, though he remarked that “war is still, to a greater extent, the domain of men.”
Tusk also addressed Poland’s interest in nuclear deterrence, revealing that his government is closely evaluating France’s proposal to extend its nuclear umbrella to Europe. However, he stressed the need for clarity regarding control and decision-making authority over these weapons.
“Ukraine was invaded after giving up its nuclear arsenal. Today, it is clear that we would be safer if we had our own nuclear weapons, that is beyond doubt. However, acquiring such capabilities would be a long and complex process requiring broad consensus,” he said.
Poland currently allocates 4.7% of its GDP to defence, the highest in NATO, and Tusk has proposed raising this to 5%. Meanwhile, President Andrzej Duda has suggested amending the Polish constitution to make a minimum of 4% defence spending mandatory.
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As part of its military buildup, Poland has already signed approximately $20 billion in arms contracts with the United States, purchasing:
- 250 M1A2 Abrams battle tanks
- 32 F-35 fighter jets
- 96 Apache helicopters
- Javelin missiles
- Artillery rocket systems
Additionally, Warsaw has secured agreements with South Korea to acquire K2 tanks and FA-50 light combat aircraft.
Tusk also signaled support for Poland withdrawing from key international arms control treaties, including the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel landmines, and the Dublin Convention, which prohibits cluster munitions.
Poland has significantly ramped up its military investments since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, positioning itself as one of Europe’s most heavily armed nations.
