"In case of war"

Because of Russia: Poland calls all men to the military

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk is reacting to the changed security situation in Europe. HE wants every adult male in Poland to be trained for war.

(Bild: AFP)

Poland spends more money on defense than any other EU and NATO country. Now the army is to be enlarged and the population more closely involved. The reason is Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.

In view of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, every adult male in Poland is to receive military training in future. "We will try to have a ready-made model by the end of the year so that every adult man in Poland is trained for war," said Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a speech in the Warsaw parliament.

In response to the changed security situation, the aim is to create a reserve that is appropriate for potential threats.

Poland also wants to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines. Finland is also considering a similar step to secure its borders with Russia.

Women also have the opportunity
Tusk did not initially provide any further details on the planned military training. However, it is not intended to be a return to compulsory military service. Women should also have the opportunity to take part in military training. However, war is still largely the domain of men, said the Polish head of government.

The EU and NATO member state Poland, which borders Russia's ally Belarus, the attacked Ukraine and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, feels threatened by Moscow and is massively arming itself. The government in Warsaw spent an estimated 4.2 percent of its GDP on defense in 2024 - a top figure in the EU and NATO.

More troops and more money for defense
Tusk spoke in parliament about the need to increase the size of Poland's army, including reservists, to 500,000 men. The armed forces of Germany's neighboring country currently number almost 200,000 soldiers. According to Tusk, Polish defense spending should also increase to 5 percent.

President Andrej Duda is also calling for more investment in security. He submitted a draft amendment to the constitution to parliament, which would legally establish a lower limit for defense spending of 4 percent.