Polish government clashes over NATO nuclear sharing after deputy minister rejects hosting warheads

Statement at NATO headquarters

Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski met with his US counterpart Elbridge Colby at NATO headquarters in Brussels on 27 August 2026. Their discussions centered on alliance readiness under the NATO 3.0 plan and potential locations for a permanent American troop presence in Poland. Following the meeting, journalists asked whether expanding the permanent US military posture in Poland could involve the deployment of American nuclear warheads. Zalewski rejected the prospect during the press conference.

No. I would like to say this very clearly and openly. Poland does not want nuclear warheads on its territory.

Defense ministry clarification

Zalewski stated that Poland intends to take part in NATO collective deterrence without hosting warheads directly. On the evening of 27 August, he published a clarification on social media, writing that Poland had obtained access to the Dual-Capable Aircraft program as an entry step toward nuclear sharing, but maintained that warhead storage in Poland was neither possible nor desirable. Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz responded later that evening on X to correct the deputy minister's characterization.

Dispersing all doubts: Poland remains interested in participating in the NATO Nuclear Sharing program. We are also holding talks regarding the proposal to participate in the European nuclear umbrella. The position of our government is unambiguous on these issues.

Reaction from the presidential palace

The differing statements drew immediate criticism from the Chancellery of the President on the morning of 28 August. Marcin Przydacz, head of the presidential International Policy Bureau, stated in a television appearance that Polish policy under both the presidency and parliament had consistently favored nuclear integration. Przydacz pointed out that while Poland currently lacks the necessary storage infrastructure, joining the NATO program would require building suitable facilities to deter Russian aggression and solidify American defense guarantees.

The statement by Mr. Zalewski is curious, absurd, completely out of line with what Poland has said so far and the policy of the Polish state established by the highest authorities.

Przydacz called on Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Kosiniak-Kamysz to reconsider Zalewski's government position, noting that the deputy minister's comments spread rapidly through international media.

Opposition criticism and military assessment

Lawmakers from the opposition Law and Justice party held press conferences and issued statements on 28 August demanding accountability. Former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki described the ministry's messaging as a breakdown in strategic discipline, noting that successive Polish administrations had pursued nuclear deterrence guarantees since 2015 and stepped up those efforts following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Parliamentarian Przemysław Czarnek called the contradictory remarks within 24 hours one of the most severe embarrassments for the defense ministry in the history of the Third Polish Republic. Former GROM special forces commander General Roman Polko also assessed the controversy, observing that Russia's deployment of nuclear-capable assets into Belarus requires strengthening NATO's eastern flank and stressing that nuclear arrangements must not become subjects of public dispute.