I do not worry about NATO, Polish defence minister tells PAP
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has said that he did not fear for the future of the North Atlantic Alliance, as the more Europe invests in defence, the more the US will respect it as a partner.
Kosiniak-Kamysz told PAP, AFP (France) and dpa (Germany) news agencies on Thursday that "the North Atlantic Alliance had a military mission, and the (European - PAP) Union had a mission of developmental and economic nature."
"I would not mix those two orders," he said.
According to Kosiniak-Kamysz, national armies had to be united with NATO. The military alliance should hold command and supervise operational strategy, while the EU should watch over the bloc's economy, development and security, especially that of supply chains, defence industry and sources of financing for national armed forces.
"I do not even think of a competition between NATO and the [European] Union: the Union complements NATO, and NATO complements the Union's capabilities," he said.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also did not express any concerns about the future of transatlantic relations, especially after Germany revamped its defence policy in reaction to US President Donald Trump's call for Europe to increase its military spending.
"The more Europe invests, the more seriously and with more respect America will treat it in those areas."
On Monday, Kosiniak-Kamysz said that he was for Poland developing its own nuclear research capabilities. Asked to clarify whether he wanted the country to have its own nuclear weapons, the minister said that the topic was not "up to much of a debate" as Poland was tied with numerous conventions in that matter.
"We have the Nuclear Sharing arising out of American, NATO decisions, so in those formats Poland should position itself and is ready to cooperate with all NATO member states," Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
President Karol Nawrocki said on Sunday that he was a "great supporter" of Poland's participation in a nuclear weapons programme, citing Russia's imperialistic policy and its aggression on neighbouring Ukraine as a reason.
Poland is part of the NATO Nuclear Sharing mechanism under which US nuclear warheads stationed in several European countries act as a deterrent protecting other NATO member states. (PAP)
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