Poland does not plan to deploy nuclear warheads on its territory, although it wants a bigger role in NATO's nuclear deterrent and is in talks with France about a European nuclear shield. This was stated by Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski, quoted by Reuters.
“Poland does not want nuclear warheads on its territory“, Zalewski said in response to a question about whether the future US military presence in the country could include nuclear capabilities. According to him, Warsaw is striving to participate in NATO's nuclear sharing program, but this does not automatically mean storing nuclear weapons in Poland.
Various signals from the Polish authorities
Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosińska-Kamiś confirmed that Poland remains "strongly interested" in participating in the NATO program and is in talks about joining a European nuclear defense system. However, he did not specify a deadline for making specific decisions and said that consultations with European allies were necessary first.
This position differs from the presidential office's insistence on a tougher approach. President Karol Nawrocki's advisor on international policy, Marcin Przydacz, described the refusal to deploy allied nuclear weapons as inconsistent with current state policy. According to him, the possibility of Poland adopting nuclear forces would have a deterrent effect on Russia.
What Warsaw is discussing
The debate in Poland is developing along two separate lines. The first is related to NATO's nuclear sharing program, in which American nuclear weapons are stored in European countries, and allies participate with infrastructure, aircraft and planning. The second is the French initiative to expand European nuclear deterrence beyond the national territory of France.
French President Emmanuel Macron has begun consultations with several European countries, including Poland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The proposal is not a ready-made treaty for the transfer of nuclear weapons, but a framework for discussing joint actions, strategic consultations and the possible presence of French nuclear capabilities in a crisis.
Poland also insists on a permanent American military presence. In June, Kosyniak-Kamish reported that Washington had responded positively to the proposal for a new permanent base, but that this decision was not tied to the deployment of nuclear warheads.
Sources: streetinsider.com, apnews.com, notesfrompoland.com