Poland seeks to host US and French nuclear weapons, defence minister says

In brief

• Poland's defence minister says Warsaw wants US nuclear weapons stationed on its territory under Nuclear Sharing.
• Poland also wants to join a French nuclear deterrence arrangement, and the minister says the two tracks do not exclude each other.
• Prime minister Donald Tusk had earlier confirmed talks with France on stationing part of the French arsenal in Poland.

Warsaw wants a place in two nuclear arrangements

Poland's defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, told the WNP outlet that Warsaw wants American nuclear weapons based on its territory under NATO's Nuclear Sharing programme. He said Poland would also like to join a French initiative in which France extends its nuclear deterrent to European partners (У Польщі має зʼявитися ядерна зброя США та Франції — глава Міноборони – TSN) (WNP: Польша хочет разместить у себя ядерное оружие США и Франции | Аргументы и Факты – aif.ru) (Польша нацелилась на ядерное оружие США и Франции - Рамблер/новости – rambler.ru).

The minister said the two paths can run in parallel. Taking part in the American arrangement, he said, does not rule out building European ties with France. He described the process as a step-by-step course rather than a single decision (Польша захотела стать местом сосредоточения ядерного оружия США и Франции – news.ru) (Польша хочет разместить на своей территории ядерное оружие США и Франции - Новости Mail – mail.ru).

Context from Warsaw

Poland's prime minister, Donald Tusk, said earlier that Warsaw wants more autonomy over nuclear weapons and is negotiating with France on a deterrence programme that would station part of the French arsenal in Poland. Last year Polish authorities had already said they were ready to host American weapons under Nuclear Sharing.

A deputy foreign minister, Paweł Zalewski, had said Poland did not want to host allied nuclear weapons on its soil, even as concern grew in Warsaw about a possible Russian attack on NATO territory. Kosiniak-Kamysz did not say when any concrete decision would be taken, adding that consultations with allies were needed first.

Reaction

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said European countries had begun to speculate about modernising their nuclear potential, describing the weapons as tools in the hands of reckless politicians rather than a protective shield.