During discussions marking Poland’s 25th anniversary of NATO membership in the Polish parliament, Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski expressed openness to the presence of NATO forces in Ukraine, appreciating French President Emmanuel Macron’s similar stance.
Sikorski’s remarks, made on Friday, were later shared in English by the Foreign Ministry via Twitter. The discussion followed Macron’s recent statement suggesting the possibility of Western troops being deployed to Ukraine, which stirred controversy among European leaders.
While French officials sought to clarify Macron’s comments and calm the backlash, they underscored the necessity of sending a clear message to Russia about the futility of its aggression in Ukraine.
However, the Kremlin cautioned that NATO deployment could lead to a direct conflict with Russia, a sentiment echoed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who warned of the risk of a global nuclear conflict.
Amidst the discourse, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk affirmed that Poland had no intentions of sending troops to Ukraine. Nonetheless, Sikorski offered a different perspective, stating, “The presence of NATO forces in Ukraine is not unthinkable.” He emphasized the importance of Putin fearing consequences rather than NATO fearing Putin.
Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Tusk are scheduled to visit Washington next Tuesday to urge the United States to increase support for Ukraine.
Poland, situated along NATO’s eastern flank with Ukraine as its neighbor, harbors concerns about Russian expansionism. The country’s history under Russian control amplifies fears that Ukraine’s fall to Russia could pave the way for further aggression in the region.
