Polish Prime Minister Donald Task said his government is working on a plan to prepare large-scale military training for all adult men in response to the changing security situation in Europe.
He said an army of half a million soldiers would be needed, including reserves.
“We will ensure that all adult men in Poland are trained in the case of war to try to prepare a model by the end of this year. So this preparation is very comparable to the potential threat and is appropriate,” Task said in a massive speech on Friday on the security of the country's SEJM, the House of Representatives of Parliament.
Last year, the Polish government said the military had grown to 220,000 this year with the aim of increasing its military to around 200,000 soldiers to about 300,000 this year.
However, security horrors have become much more dramatic in recent weeks as Russia continues to smash Ukraine with missiles and drones and the Trump administration withdrew support for Ukraine's military and intelligence news while making its commitment to NATO a problem.
“Today, we are talking about the need for Poland's 500,000,000 forces,” Tass said.
After his speech, he told reporters that he was not considering a universal military return, but rather a reserve system based on the Swiss model. In that country, all men are obligated to serve in the military or alternative civilian service, but women can volunteer if they choose.
Tusk also suggested on Friday that the country should explore nuclear “potentials.” “We must note that Poland must reach the most modern possibilities associated with nuclear weapons and modern unconventional weapons,” he said.
He then supported withdrawing from the Dublin Convention, which prohibits the use of land on anti-personnel land, or the use of the Ottawa Convention.
At least two NATO countries, Finland and Lithuania, both border Russia, have pondered the exits of the Ottawa Treaty over the past few months.
“Let's face it. It's nice, but not fun. We know it very well,” Tass said. “The problem is, in our environment, those we fear, or those in the war, all of them have it.”
Poland has a population of 38 million and is located along the eastern side of NATO, and is deeply interested in the war in Ukraine. If Ukraine is defeated, Russia fears that it will change the ambitions of the Imperials next to a country like Poland.
Jaroslo Kacheski, head of Poland's largest opposition party, said conservative law and justice requires mental changes in society, in addition to men's military training. “We go back to the spirit of chivalry and the fact that men should also be soldiers, meaning they can even die,” Kaczyński said.
Concerns have risen in Poland and most of Europe, showing a dramatic shift in US positions, including those of Russia, despite President Donald Trump's stance on Friday, spurring harsh warnings to Russia after attacking Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones.
“If Ukraine loses war or accepts the conditions of peace, armistice or surrender in such a way that it weakens its sovereignty and facilitates its sovereignty, if it accepts the terms of peace, armistice or surrender in such a way that it makes it easier. [Russian president Vladimir] Putin will definitely take control of Ukraine – and we can all agree – Poland will find himself in a much more difficult geopolitical situation,” Tusk said.
Also on Friday, President Andrze Duda said he was submitting amendments to the Polish constitution for consideration, requiring that at least 4% of his gross domestic product be spent on defense each year.
Poland has already spent a higher percentage of GDP on defense than any other NATO member, including the US. NATO estimates that Poland's defence spending reached 4.1% of GDP last year, and is expected to reach 4.7% this year.
But Duda said he wanted to use the consensus of the Polish political scene today to embarrass it with the highest laws.
Trump suggests that the US may abandon its commitment to the alliance if member states fail to meet their defence spending targets.
The Associated Press, Reuters and Agency France Press contributed to this report
