Due to the geopolitical situation in terms of security, Poland aims to increase defense spending to 3% in a short time. GDP; we are on the right track to make that happen, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday.
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Polish-Spanish intergovernmental consultations, chaired by the Prime Ministers of Poland and Spain, Mateusz Morawiecki and Pedro Sanchez, took place in Warsaw on Wednesday. Among other things, it was signed a memorandum of understanding in the field of defense. During a joint press conference, the heads of government of both countries were asked about the signed agreement and about increasing defense spending.
Due to the geopolitical situation in terms of security, Poland aims to increase defense spending to 3% in a short time. GDP. We are well on our way to making that happen
– said Morawiecki.
At the same time, as he added, Poland wants to increase the domestic defense industry. And “this is also what is happening,” emphasized the prime minister.
In April of this year, the law on the defense of the homeland came into effect with regard to, among other things, increasing the defense budget. It states that annual expenditures from the state budget are allocated to financing defense needs in the amount of not less than 2.2%. GDP in 2022 and at least 3% GDP in 2023 and subsequent years.
Morawiecki stressed at the conference that the national defense ministers of Poland and Spain met during Wednesday’s meeting and that – he added – it was a very good conversation.
They agreed on many details of this collaboration, moreover, a memorandum was signed here earlier today
The Prime Minister noted.
Reinforcement of the army
The head of government emphasized the importance of cooperation and mutual guarantees.
We are strengthening our military, our defense capabilities, but we are also strengthening our alliances. And here I especially thank Pedro, you, for the (NATO) summit in Madrid, which has proved so fruitful in terms of increasing the Rapid Reaction Force to 40,000. up to 300 thousand
– said Morawiecki, in a speech to the Prime Minister of Spain. It’s about the NATO summit at the end of June; it fell, among other things, on decisions to strengthen NATO’s forward presence on NATO’s northeastern and southeastern flanks.
As Morawiecki added, the defense potential is extremely important.
Together we also see how crucial the role of NATO, of which most EU countries belong, is in this context. I’m glad that here too our understanding of security and defense issues is almost identical
– he pointed out.
The Spanish Prime Minister – in response to the question of how much more defense spending will be in the next state budget – replied that the matter is being worked on and that “the figures will be known when they are published.”
Spain’s role in NATO
Sanchez pointed to the very important role of the Spanish armed forces in many NATO missions.
We are talking about 2 percent. for defense in the state budget, but we are also talking about investment in defense equipment, more than 20 percent. bigger when it comes to our armed forces participating in missions
– he pointed out.
According to the head of the Spanish government, his country “is fulfilling its obligations when it comes to investment and participation in NATO missions”.
We are present in many countries and all allied countries appreciate it
– noted the Prime Minister of Spain.
mly / PAP
Source: wPolityce