Speaking in an interview with Canadian broadcaster CTV News, President Andrzej Duda said that if NATO collectively decided to bolster defences on its eastern flank by having Poland host nuclear weapons, his country would be ready and prepared.
With Russia’s war on Ukraine past the two-year mark, Duda told CTV’s Vassy Kapelos in an interview that "if NATO allies make such a decision to deploy within NATO or to broaden the programme of nuclear sharing to include Poland, then we are ready, because we understand that this is about strengthening the security of Europe.”
When asked whether that is any closer to happening, Duda said alliance members have yet to reach a decision, CTV reported on its website.
“We raised this topic in conversations with allies,” Duda said. “There are no decisions in this regard … I want to deny all the claims that some decisions have been made on this one. I have not participated in making any decisions.”
Duda also said in the interview that there is no doubt that if Russian President Vladimir Putin is successful in conquering Ukraine, he will continue his offensive and invade other countries, according to the ctvnews.ca website.
Duda repeated that Poland is “ready” to host nuclear weapons, “because we can see that Russia is dangerous again, that Russia is deploying its nuclear weapons.”
Putin warned last month that Russia is prepared to deploy its nuclear arsenal, CTV noted.
"And it's not the West which is provoking Russia," Duda told CTV News. "It's not NATO which is provoking Russia. On the contrary, it is Russia which is provoking the West.”
Duda told Polish tabloid Fakt earlier this month that Poland would be ready to host nuclear weapons belonging to other NATO members in response to Russia's deployment of nuclear arms in neighbouring Belarus.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, starting the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.
Monday is day 796 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: PAP, ctvnews.ca
Click on the audio player above to listen to a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.