Polish President Calls for US Nuclear Weapons to Be Stationed in Poland- wna24

Polish President Andrzej Duda has urged the United States to station nuclear weapons in Poland to deter potential Russian aggression, a move that could escalate tensions with Moscow.

In an interview published Thursday by the Financial Times, Duda emphasized the need to reposition NATO’s nuclear infrastructure eastward, arguing that it was only logical given the alliance’s expansion in recent decades.

Duda revealed that he had discussed the possibility with U.S. envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg. He suggested that the U.S. could relocate nuclear weapons currently stored in Western Europe or on American soil to Poland.

“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 said.

“I think it’s not only that the time has come, but that it would be safer if those weapons were already here,” he added.

Duda pointed out that Russia had made a similar move in 2023 by transferring nuclear weapons to its ally, Belarus, signaling an ongoing shift in Europe’s nuclear landscape.

Duda’s request comes at a time when Europe is reassessing its security arrangements, particularly as the U.S. appears to be stepping back from its traditional role as Europe’s primary security guarantor.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently stated that Poland must consider “opportunities related to nuclear weapons” in response to shifting U.S. geopolitical priorities. Meanwhile, France—the European Union’s only nuclear power—has suggested that it might extend its nuclear umbrella to cover allied nations, a proposal Duda welcomed.

Despite these discussions, Duda acknowledged that it would take “decades” for Poland to develop its own nuclear weapons, reinforcing the need for immediate action through NATO.

Any move to deploy U.S. nuclear weapons in Poland would likely provoke strong reactions from Russia, which has long viewed NATO’s eastward expansion as a security threat. Moscow has previously warned against the deployment of strategic weapons near its borders, arguing that such actions would further destabilize the region.

Duda’s push for nuclear weapons in Poland also comes as the Trump administration engages in ceasefire talks with Russia over Ukraine, adding another layer of complexity to ongoing diplomatic efforts.

With Europe facing an uncertain security future, Poland’s calls for a nuclear presence on its soil highlight the growing concerns among NATO’s eastern members about the balance of power on the continent.