Poland parades largest-ever military force as Tusk vows biggest army in Europe

Poland's largest-ever military parade

Poland held its largest-ever military parade on 15 August, with simultaneous events in Warsaw and the port city of Gdynia marking Armed Forces Day. The date also coincided with Romania's Navy Day celebrations. Approximately 2,000 soldiers marched through the capital alongside a record 300 armored vehicles, according to the Polish Press Agency (PAP). Aircraft and helicopters flying over central Warsaw included F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, as well as German fighter jets, described by the DPA news agency as a demonstration of solidarity from NATO allies. The ground parade showcased the South Korean K2 Black Panther tank among other modern military equipment, while a separate naval parade was held in Gdynia. The events were held under the slogan "Polska SAFE", a reference to the EU rearmament and European defense rebuilding program.

Political messages from Tusk and Nawrocki

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking at the naval parade in Gdynia, declared that Poland's armed forces would soon be the largest in Europe.

Our army, our armed forces, will soon be the largest in Europe.

He added that Poland is already building a force that will shape the region's fate through its modernity and impressive numbers.

We can already say that we are building a force that will determine the fate of the region through its modernity and its impressive numbers, and the whole world appreciates this, especially our allies.

Tusk warned that Russia remains the greatest danger to Poland, Europe, and the Atlantic Alliance, and criticized political formations that try to divert attention from this risk. He also stressed that supporting Ukraine is a matter of vital national security for Warsaw.

President Karol Nawrocki, speaking in Warsaw, emphasized the historical weight of the occasion.

The Polish nation knows very well the price it paid for its independence.

He described 15 August as "a day of commitment for the present and future," noting that history helps in correctly assessing current threats.

Personnel growth and targets

Defense minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz announced that the current fighting force stands at 220,000 soldiers, speaking on the occasion of Armed Forces Day. The official target is 300,000 active-duty military personnel and an additional 200,000 reservists. Between 2014 and 2025, Poland more than doubled its armed forces, growing from approximately 100,000 to 216,000 soldiers, making it the third-largest army in NATO after the United States and Turkey.

Historical context and EU funding

Armed Forces Day on 15 August commemorates the Polish victory in the Battle of Warsaw in 1920, when Polish troops halted the Soviet army's westward advance. The Polish-Soviet War ended in 1921 with the Treaty of Riga. Since 1992, 15 August has been celebrated as Poland's Armed Forces Day. Poland joined NATO in 1999.

Under the EU's SAFE rearmament program, Poland is the largest beneficiary, receiving nearly 44 billion euro. Romania is the second-largest beneficiary, with nearly 17 billion euro. Warsaw has accelerated its military modernization and expansion since Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which brought war to NATO's borders.