President: The strength of the Republic of Poland lies in its Armed Forces
The President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, Commander–in–Chief of the Armed Forces, took part in the Annual Performance and Task Briefing of the Ministry of Defence leadership.
The President of the Republic of Poland acts as a guarantor of the compliance with the Constitution, safeguards the sovereignty and security of the state, and protects the inviolability and indivisibility of its territory, said the Commander–in–Chief of the Armed Forces.
The President pointed out that in the face of contemporary challenges that often manifest as threats to Poland's security, our strength and readiness on the international stage can only be defined by an honest assessment of the situation. He stressed that this is what he is asking for and what he wants to achieve. He emphasised that Polish soldiers help to determine whether Poland is safe. Karol Nawrocki highlighted that the issue of building and developing the Armed Forces is a priority for the Polish President.
In his speech, he noted that ‘we must take into account the need to respond to a series of events, sub–threshold incidents, which will test our resilience. Their aim will also be to try to erode NATO's cohesion'.
He emphasised that the actions taken so far prove that the soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces and their commanders are performing their tasks with full commitment and in full understanding of the situation in which the Republic of Poland finds itself today.
From an operational point of view, cooperation between the Ministry of Defence and the Presidential Palace is necessary. I know that the first steps have been taken in this regard, said the President.
During his speech, the Head of State emphasised the importance of increasing the US military presence in Poland, and the need for a broad pro–state consensus to develop the best solutions for Poland.
The President underscored that what he expects today is courage, including the courage to express views that do not currently enjoy popularity. He pointed to the need for a realistic diagnosis of the condition of the Armed Forces and clear, precise assessments, as well as the setting of appropriate directions for achieving objectives. He noted that ‘effective operational activity also requires effective modernisation of the Armed Forces. It must involve the acquisition of cutting–edge capabilities to effectively deter the enemy and serve to build the defence potential of modern Armed Forces,’ he said.
Karol Nawrocki argued that the modernisation changes being introduced must be cost–effective and ensure the use of the best available solutions. When selecting equipment for the Armed Forces, one of the criteria must be the diversification of its procurement sources. As the President pointed out, ‘the modernisation of the Armed Forces is a process that cannot be disrupted by changes in power dictated by the democratic cycle.’
In his speech, he referred to the discussion surrounding the SAFE programme. ‘Yes, the Polish Armed Forces need as much funding as the SAFE facility provides. However, there are doubts about sovereignty: to what extent does the programme give us freedom to spend money, especially in the context of conditionality? The fundamental principle of security is certainty.’ he argued. The President pointed out that ‘we must be sure that these funds will not be withheld or suspended. Certainty means security, uncertainty means danger.’
The briefing was attended by, among others, Zbigniew Bogucki – Head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland; Sławomir Cenckiewicz – Head of the National Security Bureau, Adam Andruszkiewicz – Deputy Chief of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, Rafał Leśkiewicz – Spokesperson and Deputy Heads of the National Security Bureau, Brigadier General (Rtd.) Andrzej Kowalski and Brigadier General (Rtd.) Mirosław Bryś. The event took place at the Polish Army Museum in the Warsaw Citadel.
