Polish army must be ready for all potential scenarios - Tusk
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said Poland's army "must and will be ready" against a potential escalation of global armed conflicts, referring to a US general's recent warning of a possible coordinated Chinese - Russian attack within a year and a half.
In mid-July, General Alexus G. Grynkewich, NATO's Supreme Allied commander Europe (SACEUR) said NATO must prepare for the possibility of a simultaneous armed conflict with Russia and China by 2027.
On Monday, Tusk told a press conference in the northern city of Bydgoszcz, that "signals that we need to be ready for various scenarios in two years are being taken seriously."
"We will be ready, I can assure you of that unequivocally," he declared.
He said that the process of modernising the Polish army and arms production has begun "with a long-term perspective... but we must be ready for all possible events before 2027."
Tusk added that it was very important "to achieve full defence capability, also in consultation with allies" and that the 'Iron Defender' military exercises conducted jointly with allied countries in Poland in September, will also serve this purpose.
He argued that the possible commencement of "real negotiations" between Russia and Ukraine with the participation of the United States "may change the situation in Ukraine itself, but it certainly will not change the overall assessment of Russian policy and the situation in our region."
"Regardless of the Ukrainian scenario, Poland, NATO, and the European Union must be jointly prepared for any potential threat or acts of aggression from the east," Tusk said.
(PAP)
mmr/ mf/ mar/
