Polish President Andrzej Duda called on the United States to transfer nuclear weapons to Polish territory in an interview with the Financial Times on Thursday.
Moving the weapons would serve as a deterrent against potential Russian aggression but is likely to be perceived as “highly provocative” in Moscow.
“The borders of Nato moved east in 1999, so 26 years later, there should also be a shift of the Nato infrastructure east. For me, this is obvious,” Duda explained in the interview, adding that he recently discussed the matter with Keith Kellogg, US special envoy for Ukraine.
“I think it’s not only that the time has come, but that it would be safer if those weapons were already here.”
Duda added that he hopes to revive a nuclear sharing project he unsuccessfully presented to the Biden administration in 2022.
While Poland previously hosted Soviet nuclear warheads during the Cold War, the US moving a nuclear weapon cache that close to Russia’s borders would be viewed as a serious threat by the Kremlin.
However, Duda noted that the decision of where to deploy US nuclear weapons belonged to US President Donald Trump alone and addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement in 2023 that Russia would move tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, Moscow’s ally, in its invasion of Ukraine.
“Russia did not even hesitate when they were relocating their nuclear weapons into Belarus,” Duda said. “They didn’t ask anyone’s permission.”
Regional tensions
Duda’s call for US weapons reflects growing anxieties in Poland and the region at large regarding Russia, which have grown since the recent peace negotiations with Ukraine brokered by Trump.
Duda, who is also the supreme commander of Poland’s armed forces, added that there was an alternative option for better protection from President Emmanuel Macron’s idea to extend France’s “nuclear umbrella” to cover European allies.
However, he drew the line at Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s suggestion that Poland develop its own nuclear arsenal.
“In order to have our own nuclear capability, I think it would take decades,” he said.
He added that even without a nuclear deterrent, he did not foresee Trump turning back on his commitment to maintain US troops in Poland.
“Concerns regarding the US taking back their military presence from Poland are not justified. We are a credible ally for the US, and they also have their own strategic interests here,” he said.
Duda further stated that he did not believe Trump was conducting “pro-Moscow negotiations.”
“This is not delicate diplomacy, this is a tough game, but in my opinion it’s not that President Trump is being only nice and gentle with Russia,” Duda said. “I think he’s applying instruments against Russia, even though it’s maybe not as loud and visible as those he’s using against Ukraine.”
“Nobody has managed so far to stop this war, so let’s give President Trump a chance.”