Mariusz Błaszczak made the declaration in an interview with the Sieci weekly magazine, published on Monday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Asked about the aim behind Poland’s ongoing expansion of its armed forces, the deputy PM said the drive was designed to build “an army that will deter any potential aggressor, so that not even an inch of Polish land comes under occupation.”
He added that the Polish army of the future “will battle effectively if necessary, because if we don’t defend ourselves, no one will come to our aid.”
Błaszczak stressed: “It will be the most powerful land army in Europe, with a large number of troops and equipped with modern weapons. An army that is active in NATO, the world’s strongest-ever military alliance, and working together with a strong American contingent on Polish soil.”
300,000 soldiers, 366 Abrams tanks
The deputy PM, who is also Poland’s defence minister, further stated that Poland’s armed forces “will have at least 300,000 soldiers, including 50,000 territorial army soldiers, 1,000 [South Korean] K2 tanks and 366 [US-made] Abrams tanks.”
Błaszczak added that Poland’s defence budget would be increased to record levels this year.
The deputy PM reiterated Poland’s support for Ukraine as it fights Russian invasion.
He told Sieci: “A free Ukraine means a free Poland. If [Russian President Vladimir] Putin took Ukraine, he wouldn’t stop there. The late President Lech Kaczyński was aware of this and so should everyone of us. We should be aware of the consequences if Poland became subjugated.”
"We’ll never allow this to happen,” Błaszczak stated.
Monday is day 348 of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
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Source: PAP, tvp.info, defence24.pl