Poland rules out post-war Ukraine deployment
REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
Poland will not send troops to Ukraine as part of any post-war peacekeeping mission, Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Aug. 20, a stance he said has broad support from both the government and the public.
At a news conference, Kosiniak-Kamysz was asked how Poland could avoid being sidelined in negotiations to end the war.
“We will not send Polish soldiers to Ukraine; this is the position of the government not for a week, but for many months,” he said.
The minister added that, while Poland would not contribute forces to Ukraine, it remained committed to supporting the country through what he called the “coalition of the willing,” a group of nations assisting Ukraine in other ways. He said Poland’s top priorities were defending NATO’s eastern flank and guarding the Polish-Belarusian border, where some 5,000 to 6,000 troops are currently stationed.
He also reiterated the need to bolster infrastructure and logistics on Polish soil in the event of any peacekeeping operation.
“In this process, tens, hundreds or even thousands of Polish soldiers will be involved to guarantee the security of allied forces already here or potentially deployable to Ukraine,” he said.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said he had discussed Poland’s proposed role with his counterparts in France, Germany, Italy, and the UK. He noted that commanders of the French and UK armed forces, key architects of the “coalition of the willing,” appreciated Poland’s contributions.
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