U.S. Troop Presence in Poland Remains Steady, Assures President Duda

Polish President Andrzej Duda has urged the United States to transfer its nuclear weapons to Poland, claiming that an eastward shift in NATO infrastructure is necessary to enhance security against a potential threat from Russia. In an interview with the Financial Times published on March 13, Duda stated, “For me this is obvious,” emphasizing that the time has come for these weapons to be stationed in Poland. Amid rising tensions with Moscow, Duda's comments underscore Poland's commitment to strengthening its defense capabilities. He noted that Russia has relocated its nuclear weapons to Belarus without seeking approval, asserting the need for Poland to adopt modern defense options, including nuclear capabilities. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk supported Duda's statements but advised that such discussions should be handled discreetly. In recent months, Poland has ramped up military spending, aiming to allocate 4.7 percent of its GDP to defense. Tusk also welcomed France’s offer to discuss extending its nuclear umbrella to European nations as a promising development in regional security.

Polish President Andrzej Duda has called for the United States to transfer its nuclear weapons to Poland, emphasizing the need for an eastward shift of NATO infrastructure in response to potential threats from Russia. In an interview with the Financial Times published on March 13, Duda stated, “I think it’s not only that the time has come, but that it would be safer if those weapons were already here." He pointed out that since NATO's borders expanded east in 1999, a similar shift should occur in NATO's military assets. Duda's comments follow a series of military enhancements in Poland aimed at countering Russian aggression, particularly with respect to nuclear capabilities. Prime Minister Donald Tusk supported the need for modern military options but stressed the importance of handling such sensitive discussions discreetly. The Polish Foreign Ministry later clarified that Duda's remarks were made without prior government consultation. As Poland increases its defense budget to 4.7% of its GDP, tensions with Russia continue to escalate, especially after Russia's recent nuclear deployments in Belarus, according to various sources.

A 35-year-old Ukrainian woman, identified as Ksenia P., has been sentenced to a 12-year prison term in Poland for her role in selling 56 human kidneys on the black market. According to prosecutors, she was part of an organized criminal group that illegally collected tissues and organs from vulnerable individuals from 2017 to 2019. The woman was detained at a railway crossing in southern Poland while in the Interpol’s wanted list since November 2020, as stated by Marta Petkowska, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office in Przemysl. Ksenia P. had previously been convicted in Kazakhstan, where she obtained kidneys from victims across multiple countries including Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Thailand for monetary gain. Reports indicate she made these criminal activities a steady source of income. Following her arrest, Polish authorities have filed a motion for her temporary custody, aiming for her extradition back to Kazakhstan.