Polish President Andrzej Duda has called on the United States to move nuclear weapons to Polish territory as a means of deterring future Russian aggression, a request that is likely to be seen in Moscow as very provocative, the Financial Times reports, UNN writes.
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Andrzej Duda said that it is "obvious" that US President Donald Trump could redeploy US nuclear warheads stored in Western Europe or the United States to Poland, a proposal that the Polish leader recently discussed with US Special Representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg.
"NATO's borders moved east in 1999, so 26 years later, NATO's infrastructure should also shift east. It's obvious to me," Duda said in an interview with the Financial Times. "I think it's not only time, but it would be safer if these weapons were already here."
Duda said that Trump decides where to deploy US nuclear weapons, but recalled Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's statement in 2023 that Russia would move tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, Moscow's ally in its invasion of Ukraine.
"Russia did not even hesitate when moving its nuclear weapons to Belarus," Duda said. "They didn't ask anyone for permission."
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Duda's call to deploy nuclear weapons underscores growing concerns in Poland, shared with other countries in the region, that Russia could emerge strengthened from peace talks with Ukraine brokered by Trump, the newspaper writes.
Duda, who is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, echoed the words of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, saying that the country could get better protection from French President Emmanuel Macron's idea to extend France's "nuclear umbrella" to cover European allies.
But last week, Duda "poured cold water" on Tusk's suggestion that Poland could create its own nuclear arsenal. "In order to have our own nuclear potential, I think it will take decades," the Polish president said.
Duda also said he could not imagine Trump would change his commitments he made during their meeting last month to keep US troops in Poland.
"Concerns about the US removing its military presence from Poland are not justified. We are a reliable ally of the US, and they also have their own strategic interests here," he said.