Balance between arms to Ukraine, national security is key - Polish army chief in Vilnius

  • 2022-11-04
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS - Poland is trying to maintain a balance between providing military support to Ukraine, as it is defending against Russian aggression, and also ensuring the security needs of its own country, Polish Chief of Defense General Rajmund T. Andrzejczak said in Vilnius on Friday, stressing that it's also an international responsibility.

"Keeping a balance between sending equipment and keeping the Ukrainian army fighting is an international responsibility, is the biggest dilemma. It's not only about the army, it is about a state's, a nation's approach to such a process. What we are doing is trying to predict a strategic vision how much will be enough for the Ukrainian army and how much is too much concerning your own national responsibility," he told a press conference in Vilnius.

Poland and Lithuania are regional leaders when it comes to supporting Ukraine, the Polish army chief said, adding that one needs to ask other countries how much they are investing in defense, how much they are providing support to Ukraine as the outcome of the war in Ukraine will determine the security of Europe and the world for decades to come.

"I think what we are doing in Poland and also in Lithuania right now, if we compare the percentage of your military part of GDP and our posture and projection, we would like to be a good, motivating example. … This region has more states, so we are asking, motivating, convincing and explaining that the war in Ukraine right now does not only involve one state fighting another one. Ukraine has to do with the upcoming decades of security in Europe and a global issue as well because it's a big state," Andrzejczak said.

The Polish chief of defense arrived in Lithuania for a two-day visit on Friday, met with his Lithuanian counterpart Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupsys and signed a cooperation plan.

The Polish delegation will also visit Lithuanian Air Force Air Base in Siauliai to meet with Polish troops currently stationed in Lithuania as part of the NATO an air policing mission.

The main goal of General Andrzejczak's visit is to strengthen military cooperation between Poland and Lithuania, the Lithuanian army said.