WARSAW — In a significant move to bolster national defense amid escalating tensions with Russia, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Friday that Poland will implement military training for every man in the country. This initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at establishing a 500,000-strong military force.
Details of the military training initiative
“By the end of the year, we want to have a model ready so that every adult male in Poland is trained for war, and so that this reserve is adequate for possible threats,” Tusk stated in a parliamentary session. Currently, Poland’s military is approximately 200,000 strong, ranking as the third-largest within NATO, following the U.S. and Turkey, and it is the largest among EU member states.
Tusk highlighted the disparity in military size within the region, noting that Ukraine boasts an army of about 800,000, while Russia has around 1.3 million personnel. He emphasized that “every healthy man should want to train to be able to defend the homeland in case of need,” adding that women would also have the opportunity to volunteer. However, he remarked that “war is still, to a greater extent, the domain of men,” clarifying that this initiative is not a reintroduction of conscription, which was abolished in Poland in 2008.
Poland’s defense strategy amid global concerns
The current geopolitical climate, particularly concerns over Russia’s intentions and the reliability of Poland’s alliance with the United States, has prompted a reevaluation of military strategies. The Polish defense budget, which constitutes 4.7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product this year, is set to increase to 5 percent—an increase endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Poland is investing heavily in military hardware, acquiring Abrams tanks, Patriot missile defense systems, and F-35 jet fighters from the U.S., along with K2 Black Panther tanks and K9A1 Thunder howitzers from South Korea. The shifting dynamics in U.S. foreign policy, particularly concerning Ukraine, have raised alarms in Poland, where a significant number of American troops are stationed.
“We are seeing a deep correction in U.S. policy with regard to Ukraine but we can’t turn our backs to it only because we don’t like it. We must be precise and honest in assessing what it means and what serves our interest and what doesn’t,” Tusk explained.
Despite the ambitious military buildup, Tusk reiterated that Polish forces would not be deployed to Ukraine to oversee any peace agreements—a role that France and the U.K. are contemplating. “Poland’s job is to guard its eastern border, which is also the border of NATO and the European Union,” he affirmed.
Tusk also indicated that Poland would consider withdrawing from international treaties that prohibit the use of anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions, underlining the need for a robust national defense strategy in the face of potential threats.