Poland’s Nuclear Gambit: U.S. Weapons to Counter Russia?

Polish President Andrzej Duda will give a speech at the Three Seas Initiative Summit and Business Forum media conference on the 11th in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital.

According to a report by The Times of the UK on the 22nd (local time), Polish President Andrzej Duda announced his intention to deploy U.S. nuclear weapons on his country’s territory, assuming NATO’s prior decision.

According to The Times, President Duda, who is visiting the United States, said in an interview with Polish media that was reported the day before, “If our allies decide to deploy nuclear weapons on our territory as part of a nuclear sharing program to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, we are prepared.”

This remark comes amid Russia’s deployment of tactical nuclear weapons and missiles in Belarus, an ally, following the placement of Iskander nuclear-capable missiles in the exclave of Kaliningrad adjacent to Poland. President Duda said, “Russia is increasingly arming Kaliningrad and is also redeploying nuclear weapons in Belarus. We have discussed this issue (nuclear weapon deployment) several times and are prepared.”

In response to President Duda’s surprising remarks, Russia warned it would mobilize all possible means. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said that day, “Our military will take all necessary countermeasures to ensure security.”