NATO not considering new nuclear weapon deployments, Polish official says

NATO is not currently considering the deployment of nuclear warheads in countries that do not already host them, Polish Deputy Defence Minister Paweł Zalewski said, while stressing Warsaw’s interest in participating more closely in the alliance’s nuclear deterrence strategy.

Speaking to RMF FM, Zalewski said the deployment of nuclear warheads beyond their existing locations was not on NATO’s agenda. 

“As of today, the issue of deploying nuclear warheads outside the locations where they are already stationed is not on [NATO’s] agenda,” he said.

At the same time, Zalewski  said Poland wants to become more involved in NATO’s nuclear deterrence framework. He noted that Warsaw had secured support from NATO members for Poland’s participation in discussions concerning the relocation of nuclear weapons.

“For the first time, we have managed to achieve that NATO countries want to include Poland in the program for the relocation of nuclear weapons. This is a very serious program,” Zalewski said.

However, Poland does not intend to host nuclear weapons on its territory. At a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels on August 27, Zalewski said Warsaw neither wanted nor planned to deploy nuclear weapons in Poland. 

He stressed that Poland’s objective is to participate in NATO’s broader nuclear deterrence strategy without having nuclear weapons stationed on Polish soil.

By Vafa Guliyeva