Poland's armed forces could get involved in the Ukrainian conflict after Kiev's investment in Polish offensive weapons, according to the head of the Polish party Zmiana (Change), Mateusz Piskorski.
MOSCOW
(Sputnik), Yulia Shamporova — Poland's increase in military build-up
could potentially lead to an intervention in the current Ukrainian
conflict, head of the Polish party Zmiana (Change), Mateusz Piskorski
told Sputnik Thursday.
On Tuesday, Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski announced that
Warsaw is planning to buy US Patriot surface-to-air missiles in light
of a perceived Russian threat.
He added that currently different social groups in Poland are raising concerns about the authorities' plans to raise the military budget instead of addressing important social issues.
In mid-April, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said that the conflict in Ukraine prompted many European countries, including Poland and the Baltic states to boost their military spending. According to SIPRI, in 2015 Poland is to increase its military budget by 19 percent to $9.9 billion.
The United States pressures Eastern European countries to sign military deals with Washington to disrupt cooperation between Russia and the European Union, Mateusz Piskorski told Sputnik.
The deal could create tensions, not only with Russia but also between Poland and its neighbors, Piskorski said, adding that the agreement is part of Washington’s “policy of dividing Europe.”
In 2009, the United States and NATO included Poland in its ballistic missile defense system in Europe. Moscow has repeatedly raised concerns over the placement of ballistic missile systems close to Russia’s borders, adding that the move could unbalance the region.
Washington is pushing the Polish government to sign deals with US companies to modernize the Polish military, the Polish politician said.
"Poland is investing in offensive weapons which
means that it does not build its own security, its own defense system,
but it builds a kind of army units that would be ready for intervention
and aggression abroad. In the context of the Ukrainian conflict, it is
quite obvious that potentially Polish force could be used in Ukraine,"
Piskorski said.
He noted that Poland's militarization contradicts the country's national interests and will drain resources from its budget.
"Probably, Poland will have to sign several bills about financing all
these programs of Armed Forces organizations which will rise and
increase the already existing debt of Poland, which of course, influence
the whole political and economic situation in the country," Piskorski
said.
He added that currently different social groups in Poland are raising concerns about the authorities' plans to raise the military budget instead of addressing important social issues.
In mid-April, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said that the conflict in Ukraine prompted many European countries, including Poland and the Baltic states to boost their military spending. According to SIPRI, in 2015 Poland is to increase its military budget by 19 percent to $9.9 billion.
The United States pressures Eastern European countries to sign military deals with Washington to disrupt cooperation between Russia and the European Union, Mateusz Piskorski told Sputnik.
“Poland together with other Eastern European
countries, including all the three Baltic countries and Romania are used
by the US policymakers to disrupt any ideas and concepts of cooperation
between Russia, Eurasian Union and European Union.”
Earlier
this week, Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski said Poland would
negotiate an agreement with the United States to purchase a set of the
medium-range Patriot missiles.
According to Piskorski, there are no strategic military-defense
reasons for signing the deal. The only reason to place a Patriot missile
system in Poland is the financial interest promoted by US politicians.
The deal could create tensions, not only with Russia but also between Poland and its neighbors, Piskorski said, adding that the agreement is part of Washington’s “policy of dividing Europe.”
In 2009, the United States and NATO included Poland in its ballistic missile defense system in Europe. Moscow has repeatedly raised concerns over the placement of ballistic missile systems close to Russia’s borders, adding that the move could unbalance the region.
Washington is pushing the Polish government to sign deals with US companies to modernize the Polish military, the Polish politician said.
"In this particular case there is no strategic
justification [or] strategic arguments for placing the Patriot system
in Poland. It's just a financial cooperation or interest which is
promoted by the US politicians."
The Polish party leader also noted that a few years ago Hilary
Clinton, at that time Secretary of State, visited Poland together
with several representatives of the US defense industry, openly trying
to lobby their interests.
"The US politicians applied a lot of pressure
on Polish decision-makers to buy the equipment and all the weapons
from the US, this is the part of their policy. I think that first and
foremost it's a realization of some business plans of the US industry
in Europe."
The
politician also said that the possible Patriot contract is a mixture
of US business and political interests, adding that Poland is
"perceived, used and abused" by Washington as a warmonger in Eastern
Europe.
"From the strategic point of view and from the point of view of the
security interests of Poland, this [Patriot deal] decision might bring
some tensions between Poland and its neighbors, not only Russia,
but also other countries which oppose this war propaganda and war
rhetoric of the United States which is supported by the Polish
authorities," the politician told Sputnik.
No comments:
Post a Comment