Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Friday that he has not heard anyone call on Poland to soften its tone toward Russia. “We are not provoking anyone,” he stressed, responding to Reuters reports that the Pentagon had asked several NATO countries to do so.
Reuters reported Friday, citing sources, that Pentagon officials, including Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, have asked several European NATO countries in recent weeks to tone down their rhetoric toward Russia. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were named among the countries said to have received such a message.
Asked about the matter at a press briefing at the 12th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Base in Mirosławiec, Kosiniak-Kamysz said he had not heard such a call from anyone.
“When it comes to our security, we are not provoking anyone,” he stressed, adding that all defense efforts are aimed at ensuring a sense of security, and that deterrence is NATO’s strategy.
“We are doing this solely so that no one ever attacks Poland, so we are not provoking. We train in order to be secure. We have no intention whatsoever of starting any wars; that is not what this is about,” he said.
He noted that “it was not Ukraine that attacked Russia, but Russia that attacked Ukraine.” “So where the enemies are, and where the countries are that truly want peace and quiet, that division in the world is very clear,” he said.
“Poland pursues a clear policy of security and deterrence, and, if it came to it, of defense, not of attacking anyone,” he added.
According to Reuters, U.S. officials reportedly argued that some statements by European leaders are overly belligerent, unnecessary and do not help maintain European security.
The agency reported that it is unclear whether the message was conveyed to countries other than the Baltic states. None of the sources suggested that the Pentagon’s position was presented in a confrontational manner.
Reuters added that, according to some officials, emphasizing the threat from Moscow actually works in Russia’s favor, because the Kremlin wants to sow fear and thereby weaken support for Ukraine. Opponents of that view argue that European governments must clearly show their citizens the scale of the threat and remind them that deterring Russia requires adequate resources and sacrifices. (PAP)
