Speaking after a meeting of NATO defense ministers at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, the Polish defense minister said that the initiative marks a first between NATO and Ukraine.
It aims to leverage experience from the ongoing war in Ukraine to provide tangible support to the embattled nation and offer insights to the alliance as a whole, he told reporters.
Kosiniak-Kamysz highlighted the unanimous approval from NATO member states for the establishment of the Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Center (JATEC).
He emphasized Poland's leading role in defense spending among NATO countries, noting its defense investment of 4.23 percent of GDP.
Only about a third of NATO countries meet the 2-percent of GDP guideline target in defence spending.
Poland leads the way with a military budget more than double the agreed NATO benchmark, Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
He also addressed the need for Europe to boost its defense industrial base, advocating for the reallocation of European funds towards the defense industry to ensure the continent's security.
He supported the suggestion by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the creation of a European Union defense commissioner role, stressing the unprecedented importance of security issues within the EU.
Kosiniak-Kamysz's statements reflect a broader consensus among eastern NATO member states, all of which exceed the alliance's defense spending guideline.
This collective effort underscores the region's commitment to bolstering NATO's eastern flank in the face of growing security threats from Russia.
The establishment of the NATO-Ukraine center in Poland is a significant step in the alliance's support for Ukraine, further integrating the country into the NATO framework and enhancing collective defense capabilities against common threats.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP, nato.int