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Yes to US troops, no to nukes: Warsaw
Published : Friday, 28 August, 2026 at 9:42 AM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
Poland does not want nuclear warheads hosted on its territory, Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski confirmed on Thursday at NATO headquarters.
"No - that is what I would like to say very clearly and openly. Poland does not want to have nuclear warheads on its territory," Zalewski told reporters when asked about future U.S. military deployments.
The declaration clarifies Warsaw's position within NATO's nuclear deterrence framework following months of regional debate over forward deployment in Eastern Europe.
"We want to participate in NATO nuclear deterrence, which does not mean having nuclear warheads on our territory," Zalewski clarified.
While rejecting land-based nuclear arms, Warsaw remains committed to supporting allied nuclear missions through conventional air support, logistics, and reconnaissance capabilities under NATO's broad strategic umbrella.
Instead of nuclear assets, Poland is prioritizing an expanded permanent presence of conventional US ground forces under Washington's ongoing Force Posture Review.
Zalewski referenced President Donald Trump’s earlier pledge to deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Polish soil.
Washington initiated a comprehensive six-month review of American troop deployments across Europe in June. According to US Defense Department planning documents, officials will present defense options to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by November 6.
Polish defense officials view the realignment as part of the Pentagon’s broader "NATO 3.0" strategic concept.
The strategy emphasizes European nations taking primary responsibility for conventional defense while relying on the US for critical operational support, intelligence, and overall strategic deterrence.
"We treat President Trump's decision as a tool to improve European security, aligned with the Pentagon's concept of NATO 3.0," Zalewski stated. "It means that it is due to Europeans to defend conventionally, but the US maintains an extremely important role to support European armed forces."
"Of course, the starting point is a message sent to the public opinion by President Trump about sending 5,000 American soldiers to Poland on a permanent basis," he added.
The decision aligns with longstanding NATO policy aimed at maintaining balance along the alliance’s eastern flank while bolstering conventional defense capabilities.
Poland already hosts thousands of US and NATO troops on a rotational and permanent basis, serving as a primary operational hub for eastern flank defense.
-SA
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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