Poland's defense minister pushes back hard at opposition over Ukraine
Photo: Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (Getty Images)
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz sharply responded to the opposition in the Sejm, accusing some lawmakers of making statements that serve Russia's security strategy rather than Poland's, reports TVN24.
Kosiniak-Kamysz recalled that on Friday, Polish fighter jets were once again scrambled because of a Russian attack on Ukraine. He also said that the day before, Prime Minister Donald Tusk presented possible scenarios of Russian escalation.
"This is no longer a series of isolated incidents; it is a planned aggression against NATO states. It is not a coincidence; it is the strategy of the Russian Federation," the minister said from the Sejm rostrum.
Commenting on the earlier speeches by opposition lawmakers, he said that "words have just been spoken from this rostrum that fit into the security strategy not of Poland, but of Russia."
"In this chamber, we must speak with one voice about how to protect ourselves from this strategy of the Russian Federation so that it is not implemented either in Poland or in Europe," Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized.
Addressing the opposition, Kosiniak-Kamysz described the situation on the border.
"You can see what is happening. Missiles are falling, drones are falling a kilometer from the Polish border. If Ukraine does not have air defense systems, if it does not have ammunition to shoot down these drones, then most of these drones will fly across Ukraine and reach Poland. Is this what you want?" the minister asked.
Before Kosiniak-Kamysz, one of the leaders of the Confederation, Sławomir Mentzen, also spoke from the rostrum. He said that Poland has too few artillery shells, unprepared reserves, and claimed that the country "has no civil defense, no shelters, nothing."
Poland plans to provide Ukraine with Patriot missiles as part of a new aid package worth 50 million euros.
Meanwhile, Warsaw is outraged by the European Commission's plans to allocate billions for Ukraine's defense.
Poland is also now building an electronic barrier on the border with Ukraine.
