Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk asked NATO Tuesday for a larger presence on Polish territory to strengthen the organization’s eastern border amide tension with Russia.
“If there is such a thing as NATO’s border that needs diligence, it would be Poland’s eastern border. The pace of increasing NATO forces could be higher,” Tusk said in Warsaw.
Poland has stated its concern that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine could escalate and threaten the security of neighboring countries. It shares a common border with both Russia and Ukraine.
Tusk added he would prefer to “see Poland defended by soldiers, not treaties,” adding security guarantees without a military presence are insufficient.
Poland has only a small detachment of U.S. airmen, hosting F-16 fighter jet training missions, at one military airport, the Wall Street Journal said Tuesday.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Poland in March, reiterating safety guarantees under mutual defense obligations. He also said, at the time, installation by 2018 of the U.S. missile defense shield in Poland will go on as planned.
[Wall Street Journal]
