President Karol Nawrocki has sparked a wave of commentary at home and abroad following a declaration on nuclear security. In an interview with Polsat News, he advocated for Poland's accession to a nuclear program, pointing to the necessity of building its own deterrence capability. The head of state argues that Russia's aggressive policy forces the consideration of all strategic options that could strengthen the Republic's defense in the face of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Postulate to build a Polish bomb

President Karol Nawrocki declared support for creating a Polish nuclear capability, which goes beyond the standard debate about participation in the Nuclear Sharing program.

Justification based on the Russian threat

The main argument for nuclear armament is Russia's aggressive policy and the fact that Poland is directly on the border of the armed conflict in Ukraine.

International resonance of the remarks

The declaration was noted by media in Germany, France, and the USA as a signal of changes in the European security architecture and declining trust in the USA.

Issue of legal regulations

The president noted that work should proceed with respect for international regulations, although Poland is currently a signatory to the NPT treaty.

During a Sunday interview on the program "Śniadanie Rymanowskiego," President Karol Nawrocki made an unprecedented statement regarding the future of Polish defense. He stated that he is a "strong supporter" of Poland joining a nuclear project. Importantly, the president did not limit himself to the concept of Nuclear Sharing, but suggested a direction towards building a domestic, Polish nuclear capability. He emphasized that all actions should take place with full respect for international regulations, such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Since the end of the Cold War, Europe has relied mainly on the American nuclear umbrella. The discussion about European countries' own nuclear potential has revived following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and changes in U.S. defense doctrine. The president's remarks were met with an immediate reaction from the political class and foreign media. German and French newspapers point to the growing erosion of trust in U.S. security guarantees in the region. Opinions at home are divided. While politicians such as Grzegorz Braun and Tobiasz Bocheński expressed understanding for this concept, representatives of the left, including Adrian Zandberg, criticized announcing such intentions in the public sphere. Meanwhile, the Minister of National Defense pointed to the priority of developing domestic research and development capabilities, which could form the foundation for future strategic decisions on deterrence. the president declared a pursuit of atomic weapons Military experts, including Gen. Stanisław Koziej, draw attention to the enormous costs and technological challenges associated with such a program. Building its own bomb would require not only decades of work but also finding political consensus on the international stage. Currently, Poland participates in the Steadfast Noon exercises, but only in a support role (SNOWCAT), without direct access to warheads. Nawrocki's declaration shifts the center of gravity of the public debate from defensively waiting for allies' help towards actively building the highest degree of military sovereignty. „Building Poland's security even based on nuclear potential is a direction I support.” — Karol Nawrocki Approach to Nuclear Weapons in Poland: : → ; : → ; : →

Mentioned People

  • Karol Nawrocki — President of the Republic of Poland, who declared support for a Polish nuclear program.
  • Bogdan Rymanowski — Journalist who conducted the interview with the president on Polsat News.
  • Stanisław Koziej — Brigadier general (ret.), former head of the National Security Bureau.
  • Adrian Zandberg — Co-chairman of the Razem Party, criticizing the manner of announcing nuclear plans.
  • Grzegorz Braun — Member of Parliament for Konfederacja, who supported the direction indicated by the president.