Prime Minister Donald Tusk is making ready a 500,000-troop military for Poland to guard towards Russian aggression. “We are going to attempt to have a mannequin prepared by the tip of the 12 months so that each grownup male in Poland is skilled for battle,” Tusk introduced.
“As we speak, the scenario of Poland, objectively and the scenario of Ukraine above all, is harder than it was a number of months in the past and we now have to take care of this reality,” Tusk talked about. The present military has round 200,000 members to elucidate the complete scope of Tusk’s plans, which might greater than double the present navy. The sources for this challenge are unfounded and a price range has not been introduced. Poland already boasts the second-largest military in NATO behind america and Turkey. Turkey has a military of round 512,000 troops, so this transfer will put Poland on par.
“Each grownup male” within the nation should bear navy coaching. Ladies, for now, are permitted to hitch on a voluntary foundation however many EU nations are forcing girls to bear some type of coaching as properly. Poland is likely one of the 11 EU nations that can place girls within the frontline of fireplace.
Poland has already elevated its NATO spending to 4.2% of GDP in 2024, and plans to up that quantity to 4.7% ($48 billion) in 2025. Now the European Union initiated proceedings towards Poland in July 2024 for its rising deficit. Poland has been the most important recipient of EU funds, however these funds include rising political circumstances, significantly relating to judicial reforms, local weather insurance policies, and social insurance policies like DEI mandates. Different members of each NATO and the EU refuse to up their protection budgets whereas encouraging Poland to spend extra out of worry of proximity.
Poles are divided on the problem, with a minimum of half stating they don’t must be concerned in Ukraine’s battle. A February 2025 survey by Ukrainska Pravda discovered a rising adverse perspective towards Ukrainians over the previous 12 months, with 27% to 30% of respondents having a adverse view of Ukraine in comparison with 23% to 25% final 12 months. Youthful Poles are much less more likely to have a good view of Ukraine, with solely 16% stating they considered Ukraine favorably. Experiences state that older Poles are merely extra empathetic, however they don’t seem to be those who will probably be anticipated to die on behalf of Ukraine.
In November 2024, 55% of Poles said they supported ending the war even when Ukraine was pressured to give up territory. That very same survey discovered solely 24% in favor of such measures again in November 2022, earlier than the battle escalated to a full-scale proxy battle. Opposition to repeatedly offering Ukraine with navy and humanitarian support is constant to rise.
Then there’s the problem of refugees. Whereas 53% help accepting Ukrainians into Poland, 67% imagine Tusk should ship again all military-aged males.
Poland is making ready for battle. Leaders use the rhetoric of the previous to assert that their nation might be invaded but once more and claimed by a overseas actor. The one actor who’s stirring the pot is Zelensky, who, per directions, has been encouraging his EU allies to combat Russia head-on. Nearly all of fighting-aged males in Poland DO NOT WANT WAR, nor do they need to die in these neocon battle video games.
