Poland’s Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, has stated that sending Polish troops to Ukraine is not a priority, and that focusing on economic support is more crucial for the country’s future stability. In an interview on TVN24, Kosiniak-Kamysz argued that deploying soldiers is not necessarily a guarantee of peace, citing the example of the United Nations mission in Lebanon.
“Looking at the UN mission in Lebanon, soldiers are not any guarantor of peace,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said. He noted that the presence of troops from numerous countries, including China, has not ensured peace in the region.
Instead, the defence minister emphasised Poland’s role as an “economic, logistical, and infrastructural hub” for Ukraine following the conflict. He believes that sending Polish, European, and American companies to Ukraine is more important than sending soldiers. Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed that Poland’s participation is essential for a just resolution to the conflict.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also addressed the potential risks of deploying troops from countries bordering Russia to the Ukrainian-Russian border. He pointed out that if European soldiers were to be attacked and killed, it could escalate into a wider armed conflict. He suggested that nations bordering Russia might not be the best choice for stabilising the Ukrainian-Russian border, adding that Poland has a different role to play than direct military presence.
Despite downplaying the idea of deploying Polish troops, Kosiniak-Kamysz highlighted Poland’s significant support for Ukraine, including preparing a 46th donation. He noted that allied nations have trained approximately 80,000 to 90,000 Ukrainian soldiers since the war began, with one-third of them trained in Poland.
The defence minister stressed the importance of strengthening NATO’s eastern flank amid threats from Belarus and Russia. “There is no fighting Ukraine without help from Poland,” he stated, emphasising Poland’s role in providing infrastructural, medical, and logistical support.
Regarding the new US administration under Donald Trump, Kosiniak-Kamysz acknowledged the need for Europe to increase its defence spending. He referred to his recent conversation with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, during which the issue of Europe increasing its spending on armaments was discussed. Kosiniak-Kamysz pointed out the disparity in defence spending between the US and Europe, noting that the US spends 750 billion annually compared to Europe and Canada’s 350 billion.
Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that Europe had believed it could live in perpetual peace for 30 years, but that is not the case. He argued that peace is guaranteed only by the strength of a country’s armies, alliances, and citizens, which requires financial investment.
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