President Duda and NATO Chief discussed need for higher defense spending

President Duda emphasized that NATO member states should allocate at least 3% of their GDP to defense, given the resurgence of "Russian imperialism" and NATO’s need to be fully prepared for defense responsibilities. He highlighted Russia’s shift to a "wartime production mode," producing vast amounts of ammunition and equipment for its military.

The president noted that some European countries still spend less than 2% of their GDP on defense, making European defense capabilities insufficient. He stressed that NATO must continue to strengthen its ties with the United States, which has the alliance’s largest military force, adding that "effective cooperation with the U.S. and reinforcing this alliance is fundamental to our security."

Duda also advocated for upgrading NATO battlegroups on the eastern flank to brigade level across all countries in the region. "This process must continue, and NATO members must diligently fulfill their obligations."

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said at the conference that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s cooperation with Beijing, Pyongyang, and Tehran demonstrates that NATO’s security concerns extend beyond regional borders to a global scale. He emphasized the necessity of strengthening NATO’s partnerships with Indo-Pacific allies.

Rutte noted that, in their Wednesday meeting, he and President Duda discussed how to fulfill NATO’s commitment from the recent Washington summit to support Kyiv with at least 40 billion euros annually. He expressed gratitude for Poland’s significant support for Ukraine, recalling that Poland was one of the first allies to provide assistance and has taken in over a million Ukrainian refugees.

The NATO chief also mentioned his interest in Duda’s recent visit to South Korea, underlining the importance of collaboration with Indo-Pacific countries, such as South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, in response to Russia’s alignment with other non-Western powers.