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#WriteaboutPoland. The Economist: how Poland became a military power

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Ten years ago, when Russia occupied Crimea, Poland was NATO's ninth military force, and now it is already the third – notes “The Economist”. The British weekly explains that increasing defense spending is one of the ideas to maintain US President Donald Trump's involvement in NATO. In the British magazine we also read about problems in relations with Ukraine and how important the May presidential elections will be for Poland.

“It's been centuries since Poland was last a military power, but the winged hussars are back. When Russia occupied Crimea in 2014, the Polish armed forces were ninth in NATO. Today they rank third, after the US and Turkey, and the number of soldiers has doubled to over 200,000. The budget has tripled in real terms to USD 35 billion,” reports “The Economist”.

The British weekly indicates that in Europe only Great Britain spends more on the army, France and Germanybut in terms of expenses relative to GDP Poland clearly ahead.

READ ALSO: Record spending. Poland at the forefront of NATO

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“The Economist” reminds that in January Poland took over the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the motto is security. “In the face of Russia's progress on the front and Donald Trump's uncertain commitment to NATO, Europe's eastern border looks uncertain. Poland has a rapidly growing economy and a capable prime minister in Donald Tusk,” he says.

The weekly wonders whether Poland can become Europe's new “security anchor” in the east. “This is what Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz believes,” he emphasizes and quotes his words: “We are facing a huge threat. If we did not use this opportunity to build our security, it would be a historic and tragic failure.”

READ ALSO: “Poland has always understood that the war of Putin's choice constitutes a threat to the entire world order.”

Poland increases defense spending and wants to maintain US involvement in NATO

“The Economist” calculates that Poland is buying hundreds of new tanks, howitzers and missile systems from South Korea. “However, the minister attaches particular importance to purchases from the USA worth almost USD 60 billion, including transactions worth USD 10 billion for 96 Apache attack helicopters and USD 2.5 billion for the integrated battle command system – a digital hub for Patriot systems,” he emphasizes. .

READ ALSO: Apache helicopters “will definitely increase our potential.” What can they do?

British journalists point out that when Trump calls for increasing defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, Poland is the only NATO member that plans to meet this requirement. In 2024, defense spending was to constitute 4.1 percent of GDP, and in 2025 it was to increase to 4.7 percent of GDP.

“Poland's priority is to maintain America's involvement” – they state and remind that the country on the Vistula River has for a long time rejected initiatives for European strategic autonomy, especially within the framework of PiS partywho ruled from 2015 to 2023. Instead, points out “The Economist”, the government in 2018 tried to persuade USA to build a base in Poland, promising to name it “Fort Trump”.

AH-64E ApacheAqeela_Image/Shutterstock

Poland's main offer, in order to maintain Trump's commitment to NATO, is a growing defense budget – unlike other NATO members, the government will not be forced to introduce cuts in other sectors, all thanks to last year's GDP growth of nearly 3%. – we read.

“Tusk is more focused on the European Union, and Trump's ambiguity has convinced Poles that the continent must do more for itself. However, it is still perceived as a way to keep the Yankees in the country,” says the weekly. – Without America, NATO does not function – says the head of the Ministry of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

Zelensky's administration has “little understanding” of Poles

“Poland's hesitations were most clearly visible regarding the stationing of NATO troops in Ukraine if a ceasefire is achieved. This idea was proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron,” says “The Economist”, emphasizing that Great Britain and Germany did not support the idea, but it did not reject it either.

“But Tusk was reluctant, claiming that Poland 'does not plan' to send soldiers,” the weekly emphasizes, assessing that this attitude is apparently contrary to the aspirations to increase security. Columnists explain that the main reason for such caution in Poland is the upcoming presidential elections.

“The second reason for Poland's reluctance to engage in the possibility of deploying troops in Ukraine is bilateral tensions. Both countries have long been arguing over the massacres in Volhynia that occurred during World War II,” the weekly states. “Many Ukrainians consider the partisans heroes, and officials angered Poles by downplaying the atrocities that occurred,” he added.

He also emphasizes that Kyiv agreed in January this year to carry out the exhumation. “At a deeper level, Polish ambivalence results from a sense of ingratitude. Many Poles believe that Ukrainians have not thanked them enough for accepting over a million refugees and serving as the main logistics center for military aid. More important is the feeling that Ukraine is bypassing Poland in contacts with its allies,” he notes. “The Economist”.

The magazine admits that Volodymyr Zelensky prefers to talk to the USA, Great Britain, France, Germany and the European Commission. “His administration has little understanding of its western neighbor,” he says.

Be careful with politics in the background

Returning to the topic of the presidential elections, the weekly notes that from their perspective “the fate of Tusk's government hangs in the balance.” “The Prime Minister is trying to get rid of the autocratic legacy of Law and Justice, which has filled the courts, put cronies in power and turned state media into propaganda. However, the current president comes from PiS and vetoes Tusk's efforts,” says “The Economist”.

The weekly estimates that if he wins the presidential election Rafał Trzaskowskithe current president of Warsaw, the reforms can move forward. If power falls into the hands of a conservative candidate nominated by PiS Karol Nawrocki – which emphasizes that Ukraine is skeptical about Ukraine's membership in the EU and NATO – the deadlock will continue.

“The ruling coalition is fragile. Tusk failed to liberalize the abortion law, which was one of the main promises of his campaign. This disappointed the left-wing parties allied with him. In turn, the center-right Poland 2050 party is delaying reforms,” ​​reports the British weekly.

He emphasizes that “however, the most right-wing member of the coalition is PSL, headed by Kosiniak-Kamysz”, and one of the examples of this party's activities is helping to limit sexual education in schools.

Main photo source: Aqeela_Image/Shutterstock



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