Poland Submits Application For Participation in NATO's Nuclear Sharing Scheme - Defense Official

WARSAW (Sputnik) - Poland has submitted an application for participation in NATO's Nuclear Sharing scheme and has not withdrawn it, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski said on Tuesday, adding that the issue should be discussed with Western partners.

"We are talking about a program called Nuclear Sharing. This is a NATO program, but the decision and full control over the use of nuclear weapons, which, for example, might be deployed in Poland, would be made by the Americans. This program is certainly in effect in Europe, with Belgium, Italy, and Germany partaking in it. And Poland has declared its readiness to participate in this program, this statement of readiness has not been withdrawn," Zalewski told the Polish Television.

At the same time, the Polish deputy defense chief spoke against raising the topic of nuclear deployment within Poland's domestic political circles, as was done by President Andrzej Duda, and said that it should be discussed with Western partners from NATO and the United States instead.

The nuclear sharing program allows the US to deploy its nuclear weapons in NATO countries that do not possess them. After making the statement about Poland's readiness to host nuclear weapons, Duda made a follow-up statement specifying that no formal decision has been made yet. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he would seek a meeting with the president to understand what had prompted him to suggest the possibility of nuclear sharing.

Last week, Duda invited Tusk for a meeting on May 1 to discuss the deployment of foreign nuclear arms in Poland, but the head of government turned down the offer, citing illness.