Polish Prime Minister Intends to Increase Army Size Twofold
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has revealed intentions to significantly increase the nation's military personnel, citing security issues related to Russia.
TroibNews 
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced intentions to significantly expand the nation's military, aiming to increase its size to 500,000 personnel. While addressing the Polish Parliament on Friday, he emphasized the necessity for Poland to be ready for potential conflicts and to reinforce its defense capabilities.
Tusk reiterated his previous assertions about Russia being a threat to Europe, warning that Moscow could initiate a “full-scale operation” against a “larger” target than Ukraine within three to four years—a claim Russia has consistently rejected as baseless. He insisted that Poland should act as a “bastion” to safeguard NATO’s eastern flank and therefore must enhance its military capabilities.
“We’re talking about the need to have an army of half-a-million in Poland, including the reservists,” he stated, highlighting that the current Polish armed forces comprise around 200,000 members, which he contrasted with Russia’s estimated 1.3 million troops. Tusk mentioned that his administration is working on legislation that would mandate every adult male in Poland to undergo “large-scale military training” to prepare for a possible conflict with Russia.
“We will try to have a model ready by the end of this year so that every adult male in Poland is trained in the event of war, so that this reserve is comparable and adequate to the potential threats,” he explained. He noted that Polish women might also be required to participate in military training, although he acknowledged that “war is still to a greater extent the domain of men.”
Tusk’s statements followed a day after EU leaders approved a significant military spending initiative aimed at unlocking billions of euros to enhance defense capabilities. This initiative, named ReArm Europe, was adopted during an emergency summit in Brussels and plans to increase defense spending by up to €800 billion—twice the total EU defense expenditures for 2024. The Kremlin has criticized this “militarization” effort, framing it as a move toward confrontation that undermines peace efforts with Ukraine.
In addition to expanding the army, Tusk emphasized the importance of enhancing Poland's military capabilities, which includes acquiring nuclear and “modern unconventional weapons.” His speech echoed recent accusations that Moscow is inciting a new arms race, as well as calls for other EU nations to increase their defense budgets.
The Kremlin has condemned Tusk’s rhetoric as aggressive and militaristic, with President Vladimir Putin dismissing the notion that Russia poses a military threat to Europe as “nonsense” intended to justify augmented military expenditures.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
Tusk reiterated his previous assertions about Russia being a threat to Europe, warning that Moscow could initiate a “full-scale operation” against a “larger” target than Ukraine within three to four years—a claim Russia has consistently rejected as baseless. He insisted that Poland should act as a “bastion” to safeguard NATO’s eastern flank and therefore must enhance its military capabilities.
“We’re talking about the need to have an army of half-a-million in Poland, including the reservists,” he stated, highlighting that the current Polish armed forces comprise around 200,000 members, which he contrasted with Russia’s estimated 1.3 million troops. Tusk mentioned that his administration is working on legislation that would mandate every adult male in Poland to undergo “large-scale military training” to prepare for a possible conflict with Russia.
“We will try to have a model ready by the end of this year so that every adult male in Poland is trained in the event of war, so that this reserve is comparable and adequate to the potential threats,” he explained. He noted that Polish women might also be required to participate in military training, although he acknowledged that “war is still to a greater extent the domain of men.”
Tusk’s statements followed a day after EU leaders approved a significant military spending initiative aimed at unlocking billions of euros to enhance defense capabilities. This initiative, named ReArm Europe, was adopted during an emergency summit in Brussels and plans to increase defense spending by up to €800 billion—twice the total EU defense expenditures for 2024. The Kremlin has criticized this “militarization” effort, framing it as a move toward confrontation that undermines peace efforts with Ukraine.
In addition to expanding the army, Tusk emphasized the importance of enhancing Poland's military capabilities, which includes acquiring nuclear and “modern unconventional weapons.” His speech echoed recent accusations that Moscow is inciting a new arms race, as well as calls for other EU nations to increase their defense budgets.
The Kremlin has condemned Tusk’s rhetoric as aggressive and militaristic, with President Vladimir Putin dismissing the notion that Russia poses a military threat to Europe as “nonsense” intended to justify augmented military expenditures.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
