Poland building military warehouses to host NATO weapons, hardware

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Apr 2023 14:16

The Polish PM will be visiting the US from April 11 to 13 to discuss a range of matters including Poland's security.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in a joint news conference with former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Warsaw, Poland February 10, 2022 (Reuters)

Poland is building military warehouses across the country to host thousands of NATO military hardware, including tanks and armored vehicles, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Monday.

Warsaw is establishing the "logistical rear" of NATO's eastern flank in the republic, he added.

"Several thousands of items of NATO military equipment will be stored in Powidz and in some other places in Poland," the Prime Minister said at his press conference before his departure to the United States, adding that "those are tanks, armored vehicles, different kinds of weapons that will allow to swiftly activate the eastern flank of NATO, in case such a necessity emerges."

The "logistical rear" of NATO's eastern flank is being created in the republic, Morawiecki added.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the US from April 11 to 13, where he will be meeting with US President Joe Biden and White House officials, in addition to holding talks with representatives of America's defense giants and officials from the International Monetary Fund at the Fund's headquarters.

During Morawiecki's visit, economic ties between the two countries will be discussed, as well as Poland's security in light of the war in Ukraine and mutual energy cooperation.

Poland has played a key role in the liaison between Ukraine and NATO ever since the onset of the war which started last year. Not only did they serve as a venue for meetings and coordination, but Warsaw has also actively lobbied for arming Ukraine by NATO and Western countries and facilitated the delivery of these arms to Kiev throughout the country.

Last January, The Telegraph reported that British MP Tobias Ellwood called for the establishment of a "massive arms factory" that is ought to be built in Poland to assist Ukraine in the conflict against Russia.

The creation of an arms factory in Poland could solve some of these strategic challenges, including making up for depleted military stockpiles and enhancing Kiev's forces' overall capabilities.

The Tory MP said then that Western governments have failed to implement a sufficient amount of foresight to help Ukraine "survive and thrive." He further said the model of tank donations to Kiev with differing supply chains and types of ammunition was "unsustainable".

"It’s just not feasible in the long term," he said. "Tanks today, yes. But we need a strategy to make sure Ukraine can defend itself."

Not only this will relieve the burden of Western countries to keep up with Ukraine's arms demands, but it will also assist with replenishing stocks among NATO's militaries.