EU country's leader praises the new 'iron curtain'
Polish President Andrzej Duda has praised the establishment of what he refers to as a new Iron Curtain in Europe. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Poland is set to invest $2.6 billion in military infrastructure along its eastern border, as stated by Polish President Andrzej Duda in an interview with the British newspaper The Times over the weekend. He referred to this initiative as the creation of a new ‘Iron Curtain’ on the eastern border, while dismissing the negative connotations associated with the Cold War-era term.
Warsaw has already established a lengthy steel fence along its border with Belarus to curb illegal immigration. The funds will go towards military fortifications, anti-drone systems, munitions depots, and observation posts, as part of the ‘East Shield’ program unveiled in May.
“Some politicians in the West look at this with horror. The last thing they want to see is the Iron Curtain being rebuilt,” Duda remarked in the interview. He further emphasized, “I will say this: if the security of my compatriots is to be safeguarded by the Iron Curtain being put up again, then OK, there will be an Iron Curtain as long as we are on the free side of it.”
The term ‘Iron Curtain’ was famously popularized by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a 1946 speech in Fulton, Missouri, describing the division of Europe into Soviet and Western spheres of influence, which marked the onset of the Cold War.
Poland’s military spending is approaching 5% of its GDP, positioning itself as a critical NATO bulwark in the east. In this context, The Times reflected that “Warsaw is taking on the role that West Germany once played in the hottest years of the Cold War.” The country has also been a strong supporter and financier of Ukraine's war efforts.
Duda is aligned with the previous conservative administration led by the Law and Justice party, whose term ends in May. Even after a change in government following last year's parliamentary election, Poland’s position on Russia in the context of the Ukraine conflict remains largely unchanged.
Polish officials have characterized the ‘East Shield’ initiative as the most significant enhancement of NATO’s eastern flank since 1945. According to Minister of National Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, construction is set to begin in the coming days, with completion expected by 2028.
Moscow has attributed the Ukraine conflict in part to NATO’s expansion in Europe since the collapse of the USSR.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
Warsaw has already established a lengthy steel fence along its border with Belarus to curb illegal immigration. The funds will go towards military fortifications, anti-drone systems, munitions depots, and observation posts, as part of the ‘East Shield’ program unveiled in May.
“Some politicians in the West look at this with horror. The last thing they want to see is the Iron Curtain being rebuilt,” Duda remarked in the interview. He further emphasized, “I will say this: if the security of my compatriots is to be safeguarded by the Iron Curtain being put up again, then OK, there will be an Iron Curtain as long as we are on the free side of it.”
The term ‘Iron Curtain’ was famously popularized by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a 1946 speech in Fulton, Missouri, describing the division of Europe into Soviet and Western spheres of influence, which marked the onset of the Cold War.
Poland’s military spending is approaching 5% of its GDP, positioning itself as a critical NATO bulwark in the east. In this context, The Times reflected that “Warsaw is taking on the role that West Germany once played in the hottest years of the Cold War.” The country has also been a strong supporter and financier of Ukraine's war efforts.
Duda is aligned with the previous conservative administration led by the Law and Justice party, whose term ends in May. Even after a change in government following last year's parliamentary election, Poland’s position on Russia in the context of the Ukraine conflict remains largely unchanged.
Polish officials have characterized the ‘East Shield’ initiative as the most significant enhancement of NATO’s eastern flank since 1945. According to Minister of National Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, construction is set to begin in the coming days, with completion expected by 2028.
Moscow has attributed the Ukraine conflict in part to NATO’s expansion in Europe since the collapse of the USSR.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
