Poland is raising the stakes in its defense and security policy by formally requesting that the United States deploy nuclear weapons on its territory. The appeal was made by Polish President Andrzej Duda, who explained in an interview with the Financial Times that the presence of nuclear warheads in Poland would serve as an essential deterrent against a possible future aggression from Russia.
Warsaw Wants Nuclear Weapons: Poland Asks the United States to Move Its Atomic Arsenal East.
Warsaw Seeks Strategic Rebalancing
Duda justified the request by arguing that NATO’s military infrastructure must adapt to changing geopolitical conditions. “NATO’s borders moved east in 1999, so 26 years later, there should also be a shift in NATO infrastructure to the east. To me, this is obvious,” the Polish president stated.
The reference is clear: with the expansion of the Atlantic Alliance into Eastern European countries, Warsaw believes the time has come to redefine defensive strategies, including the deployment of nuclear weapons on its soil.
Engagement with Washington
According to reports, Duda discussed the matter with Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine and Russia under President Donald Trump. This move demonstrates that the Polish government is pursuing the issue seriously, seeking direct support from the U.S. administration.
Poland’s request comes amid growing tensions between NATO and Russia. In recent years, Moscow has strengthened its military capabilities along Eastern Europe’s borders. The Kremlin, in turn, has repeatedly threatened “serious consequences” if NATO continues expanding its military influence in former Soviet states.
A More Militarized Europe?
If accepted, Poland’s request would mark a significant shift in Europe’s strategic balance. Currently, U.S. nuclear warheads in Europe are stationed in five countries—Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Turkey—under NATO’s “nuclear sharing” program. Moving the arsenal further east would bring the nuclear deterrent much closer to Russia’s borders, with all the geopolitical implications that entails.
Poland’s initiative might find support among NATO’s hardliners, but it is unlikely to be approved without debate. NATO’s nuclear balance is an extremely sensitive issue, and the risk of escalation with Moscow remains a concrete possibility.
If Washington decides to accommodate Warsaw’s request, Eastern Europe’s security would be reinforced, but at the cost of a new phase of tensions with Russia. The fate of the Western nuclear arsenal could soon become another major flashpoint in international relations.