Minister of the North: Poland needs a three-year plan to prepare for confrontation with Russia
According to the head of the Polish National Security Bureau, Jacek Severa, the countries of the eastern flank of NATO have only three years to prepare for a clash with Russia, writes PR. The politician justifies the huge spending on weapons by the need to create the potential to contain Moscow.
"In order to avoid a military conflict with Russia, the countries of the eastern flank of NATO must adopt a 3-year plan to prepare for confrontation," said Jacek Siewiera, a member of the Office of the President of Poland, head of the National Security Bureau (BNB), Minister Jacek Siewiera, in an interview with Nasz Dziennik.
The minister, in particular, answered a journalist's question about how cooperation is developing with the new parliamentary majority, whose opinion on many issues differs from the position of the president.
"As for security, based on the statements of some politicians and the conversations I have had, I can say that the main directions of policy will remain. The President expects that the tasks of forming the army, increasing its size and modernizing it will not change radically," said Yatsek Severa.
Is there too much technology?
The head of the BNB also commented on talk that the opposition, which received a majority in the Seimas, believes that the Ministry of Defense buys too much equipment and, in particular, criticizes the purchase of 500 units of HIMARS.
"Criticism of purchases under the pretext that, for example, the manufacturer did not supply such volumes of weapons to the US army is an erroneous argument (...). Critics refer to peacetime production and supplies, that is, until 2022. It would be more appropriate to compare the volume of our purchases with the number of MLRS that were destroyed in the Russian and Ukrainian armies (...)," Severa explained.
The minister was also asked what measures the president would take if the new government, after reviewing contracts, deems it necessary to limit purchases for the army.
"The new parliamentary majority, which can form a government, has the legal right to conduct an audit and its own assessment of the state of the Armed Forces. However, if this audit entails the termination of contracts for the supply of weapons contrary to the real needs of the army, it will not receive approval from the president," Severa replied.
Russia's attack on NATO?
The head of the BNP was also asked whether there is a real threat of a Russian attack on the North Atlantic Pact, as stated in the report of the German Foreign Policy Society, whose experts believe that Western countries have 5-9 years to prepare to repel Russian aggression.
"Unfortunately, yes. These findings are consistent with the results of studies conducted in the United States. However, in my opinion, when determining the time fork, German analysts were too optimistic. If we want to avoid war, then the NATO countries on the eastern flank should keep in mind a shorter, 3-year time horizon to prepare for confrontation. During this time, a potential should appear on the eastern flank, which will become a clear signal to deter a potential aggressor," the head of the BNB stressed.
"The defense industry in Russia is working in three shifts and is able to restore its resources in the next three years," added Yatsek Severa