Click on the player icon above for Marcin Matuszewski's audio report on Radosław Sikorski's exposé.
Calling the international security environment "the toughest in decades," Sikorski said NATO states together now allocate nearly USD 1.5 trillion a year to defense, compared with Russia’s estimated USD 145 billion.
"These figures show that as long as NATO remains an efficient alliance, Russia cannot defeat us," he told Polish parliament.
Poland, which spends 4.7 percent of its GDP to defense, wants partners to raise spending to at least 3.5 percent, Sikorski said in his annual foreign-policy address.
That would give the alliance a budget 13 times larger than Moscow's, he argued, and matching Warsaw's own level would lift the total to USD 2.5 trillion, or 17 times Russia’s.
Four unwelcome global trends
Sikorski warned of four "deeply troubling" developments: a return to spheres of influence; the erosion of sovereignty norms; weakening multilateral institutions in favor of transactional bilateralism; and disinformation that blurs truth and falsehood.
"For Poland, the greatest danger would be a breakdown of the Western community," he said, pledging to defend EU unity and trans-Atlantic ties.
Polish policy priorities
He told lawmakers that one of Poland's foreign policy priorities was boosting European military capabilities and assuming more responsibility for regional security.
Other top objectives include keeping the United States engaged, he said, arguing that a strong presence in Poland is in Washington's interest.
Poland also aims to uphold a rules-based global order anchored in the United Nations Charter, and engaging the Global South "on the basis of partnership, not hierarchy," Sikorski said.
Ukraine support to continue, but no Polish troops
Warsaw will not send troops to Ukraine but will keep acting as the main logistics hub for Western aid, Sikorski said, citing "45 military-assistance packages worth EUR 4 billion" and the "training of nearly 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers" in Poland.
He estimated that at least 80 percent of Western assistance for Kyiv passes through Poland's Rzeszów-Jasionka hub.
China urged to be 'messenger of peace'
He criticized Beijing for supplying dual-use goods that aid Moscow's war against Ukraine.
"Instead of a 'wolf warrior,' we would prefer to see China as a messenger of peace," he said, arguing that Beijing could end President Vladimir Putin’s "colonial war."
Germany urged to contribute to Europe's security
Sikorski also told parliament that he fears "German reluctance to rearm" more than German military power, saying that Berlin and Warsaw share special responsibility for Europe's security.
Poland’s top diplomat concluded by urging allies to draw procurement and doctrinal lessons from the war in Ukraine.
"As a united Europe and NATO, we must adapt our purchasing policies, defense concepts and training," he said.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP, Polskie Radio 24