Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General in Poland

Minister Radosław Sikorski had a meeting with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General, to talk about aligning the Alliance to the challenges posed by the Ukrainian-Russian crisis today and in the future.

The meeting hosted by Minister Sikorski was also attended by Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of National Defence, and Gen. Mieczysław Gocuł, Chief of General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces. The talks covered the ways of adapting defence and deterrence policy to modern challenges, and the long-term reinforcement of NATO’s efficient defence capabilities. Minister Sikorski pointed out that a political solution would be best for the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. “Right now, however, our duty is to assess the existing threat realistically and to adapt NATO actions accordingly,” said the chief of Polish diplomacy. “The Alliance is taking adequate steps as the situation unfolds,” he added.

Speaking of the upcoming NATO summit in the UK, Minister Sikorski emphasised that the Alliance needs to revert to classical defence capabilities, which are determinant of the credibility of collective defence. “The summit should strengthen NATO’s defence and deterrence policy in order to guarantee absolute and equal security for all of its members, he urged. “We need to shift the Alliance’s defence capabilities farther east. NATO must have more conspicuous presence on its eastern flank,” observed the chief of Polish diplomacy.

This is Mr Rasmussen’s last visit to Poland as NATO Secretary General, as his term ends on September 30th. The chief of Polish diplomacy thanked for active support of the Alliance’s activities for building credible security assurances in the spirit of allied solidarity. “We appreciate the consequences of your actions to strengthen the Alliance and the security of its members,” said Minister Sikorski. He also drew attention to Secretary Rasmussen’s personal contribution to guaranteeing NATO’s presence in Central and Eastern Europe. “I also thank you for your personal commitment to the shaping of the Alliance’s response to the increasing threat in the East,” he added.

During his visit to Warsaw Secretary Rasmussen will also meet President Bronisław Komorowski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Marcin Wojciechowski
MFA Press Spokesman