Defense against Russia: Poland’s government is planning military training for all men

In Poland, in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, every adult man will receive military training in the future. “We will try to have a finished model by the end of the year so that every adult man in Poland is trained for the warfall,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a speech in Parliament in Warsaw. In response to the changed security situation, a reserve should be created that is appropriate to potential threats.

At first, Tusk did not provide any further information on the planned military training. Accordingly, however, it should not be a return to compulsory military service. Women should also have the opportunity to take part in military training. However, war is still a greater domain of men, said the Polish head of government.

The EU and NATO-Land Poland, the Belarus allied on Russia, the attacked Ukraine and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, feels threatened and upgraded by Moscow. In 2024, the government in Warsaw estimated 4.2 percent of its GDP for defense – a top value in the EU and NATO.

More troops and more money for defense

Tusk spoke in parliament of the need to increase the size of Poland’s army, including reservists, to 500,000 men. The armed forces in the neighboring German country currently count almost 200,000 soldiers. According to Tusk, the Polish defense spending should also increase to 5 percent.

President Andrej Duda also advocates security for more investments. He presented the draft for a constitutional change to the parliament, which is to be laid down by a law on defense expenditure of 4 percent.