US will not hesitate to come to Poland’s defence: Polish FM

Waszczykowski, who was on a visit to America, was speaking after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump suggested the US may not automatically come to the aid of some NATO allies, despite the Western military alliance's principle of collective defence.

Waszczykowski told reporters: "I am convinced that in the case of Poland there will be no hesitation.”

Interviewed by The New York Times, Trump suggested that if he becomes president he would take into account a country’s level of military spending in deciding whether the US would defend any NATO member that comes under attack.

Waszczykowski said: “Poland is one of the leading NATO countries, which attach great importance to defending security. We spend 2 percent or even more than 2 percent of GDP on our security. That is a major contribution, a great effort in terms of defending NATO. And I have not heard any American politician questioning the Polish-American alliance.”

NATO country leaders meeting in Warsaw for a 8-9 July summit of the alliance decided to deploy four multinational, rotating battalions to Poland and three Baltic countries, which all fear potential Russian aggression after Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. (pk)

Source: Polish Radio/PAP