Poland in "serious discussions" with France over expansion of nuclear umbrella

Poland should seek access to nuclear and other types of unconventional weapons, including by accepting the French proposal to participate in it's nuclear umbrella initiative, the only one in the European Union, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said as he addressed the parliament (Sejm).

"We must keep in mind that Poland should strive to gain access to the most advanced capabilities, including those related to nuclear weapons and modern unconventional weaponry," he told the MPs after returning from Brussels where he attended a special European Council meeting, Caliber.Az reports citing Polish media.

"We will not fear any criticism—everything that strengthens our defense capabilities will be implemented and utilized," the prime minister emphasized.

Responding to French President Emmanuel Macron's invitation to start "strategic discussions" on extending its nuclear umbrella to European allies, Tusk confirmed that his government was "engaged in serious discussions with the French regarding their nuclear umbrella project," after commenting earlier that Poland should "seriously consider" the French proposal.

In the course of his speech, Tusk did announce that Poland was preparing large-scale military training for every adult male in the country and revealed that he put forward an idea of ​​creating a European "Arms Bank" to invest in defense while in Brussels.

Tusk also informed the deputies that he asked the Ministry of National Defense to withdraw Poland from the Ottawa Convention and possibly the Dublin Convention. The Ottawa Treaty is a convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction, therefore aims to eliminate the use of anti-personnel mines as a means of armed combat.

By Nazrin Sadigova