Poland does not want allied nuclear warheads stationed on its territory, Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski said Thursday, reaffirming Warsaw’s position even as concerns grow over the possibility of a future Russian attack on NATO territory.
“I would like to say very clearly and openly: Poland does not want to have nuclear warheads on its territory,” Zalewski told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
He stressed, however, that Warsaw remains committed to NATO’s nuclear deterrence strategy.
“We want to participate in NATO nuclear deterrence, [which] does not mean to have a nuclear warhead on our territory,” he said.
The statement represents one of Warsaw’s clearest positions to date on the issue of hosting nuclear weapons. Poland has previously expressed skepticism about stationing allied nuclear warheads on its territory, while also exploring ways to play a greater role in NATO’s nuclear deterrence.
Poland has held preliminary discussions with the United States about a possible expansion of Washington’s nuclear deterrence arrangements in Europe. Warsaw has also joined a French initiative focused on strengthening the role of France’s independent nuclear deterrent in European security.
At the same time, Polish President Karol Nawrocki has left open the possibility that Poland could eventually develop its own nuclear weapons program, adding another dimension to the country’s debate over long-term deterrence.
The issue has gained urgency as NATO members assess the potential threat posed by Russia. Western officials have warned that Moscow could test the Alliance’s resolve by attacking NATO territory before the end of the decade, while recent U.S. intelligence assessments have suggested that a confrontation could occur sooner.
For Warsaw, the challenge is therefore how to strengthen deterrence against Russia without crossing the political and strategic threshold of permanently hosting nuclear warheads or developing an independent nuclear arsenal.
Zalewski’s comments indicate that, for now, Poland favors deeper participation in NATO’s nuclear deterrence framework rather than the physical deployment of allied nuclear weapons on Polish soil.
