By The Daily Caller (World News) | Created at 2025-03-09 02:16:34 | Updated at 2025-03-09 14:59:15
13 hours ago
All Polish men will now undergo military training as Poland seeks to double the size of its army and pursue nuclear capabilities in the event of a war with Russia.
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk unveiled these plans in a speech to the Polish parliament, the Sejm, Friday. “We are preparing large-scale military training for every adult man in Poland. Our goal is to finalize the plan by year’s end to ensure a well-trained reserve force ready for potential threats,” Tusk announced.
Tusk also told the Sejm that his government would seek to swell the ranks of the country’s currently 200,000-strong army—a number that includes reservists, NBC News reported. By comparison, Ukraine’s army is currently four times larger, and Russia has about 1.3 million fighters, Tusk reportedly added.
“We’re talking about the need to have an army of half a million in Poland, including the reservists,” he said.
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk (R) addresses parliament on the situation in Ukraine, as Polish former prime minister and leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) party Jaroslaw Kaczynski (2ndL) and PiS members Ryszard Terlecki (L) and Mariusz Blaszczak (2R) listen, in Warsaw, on March 7, 2025. (Photo by Wojtek RADWANSKI / AFP) (Photo by WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
“Poland must pursue the most advanced capabilities, including nuclear and modern unconventional weapons. This is a serious race — a race for security, not for war,” Tusk also said, adding that Poland will begin the process of “withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention and possibly the Dublin Convention. This concerns anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions.” Poland would not suffer Ukraine’s current fate if Poland had nuclear weapons as Ukraine became vulnerable after giving up its nuclear arsenal, Tusk added, according to the BBC.
Poland is pursuing the defense policy changes in response to the U.S.’s recent policy positions in Russia’s war in Ukraine. The U.S. froze the delivery of all military aid to Ukraine days after a televised spat erupted Feb. 28 between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. Tusk reiterated his support of Zelenskyy and Ukraine after the incident. U.S. President Donald Trump also said Friday he was “strongly considering large scale” sanctions against Russia. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Senior White House Officials Detail How Trump-Zelenskyy Oval Meeting Went Off The Rails)
“It seems if we organise things wisely, and I’m talking constantly with the Minister of Defence, we will have to use several courses of action. That means the reservists, but also intensive training to make those who do not go into the army fully-fledged and competent soldiers during a conflict,” he said about increasing the army’s size.
Women could also be included in military training, Tusk said, but “war, is still to a greater extent the domain of men.”
Polish women are a minority in the Polish army, constituting about 3.5% of its active force — but they have a longstanding involvement, including as guerrilla fighters against the Nazis in World War II, NBC News reported.
“We will move funds from non-essential projects to enhance our defense capabilities,” Tusk said.
Tusk said Poland‘s security was linked to Ukraine’s. “If Ukraine remains a fully sovereign and pro-Western state, Poland and Europe will be more secure. If it loses the war or accepts a settlement that weakens its sovereignty, Poland’s geopolitical position will deteriorate,” he added.
