Karol Nawrocki: “The strength of the republic lies in its armed forces”. Security requires national unity

At the Citadel of Warsaw, within the grounds of the Polish Army Museum, the President of the Republic of Poland and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Karol Nawrocki, took part in the annual accountability and tasking briefing of the Ministry of National Defence leadership. The meeting served as the key strategic review of the past year and a platform to define priorities for Poland’s defence policy moving forward.

security navy nato politics defense industry news

Today | 12:17 | Source: Gazeta Morska | Prepared by: Kamil Kusier | Print

fot. Mikołaj Bujak / KPRP

State and military leadership gathered at the citadel

The event opened with an official military ceremony. President Nawrocki was welcomed with full honours and received a report from the commander of the Representative Company of the Polish Armed Forces. The setting—the historic Citadel of Warsaw—was not incidental. A site deeply connected to Poland’s struggle for sovereignty, it symbolized the continuity between historical legacy and contemporary security responsibilities.

The briefing brought together senior representatives of the presidential administration, the National Security Bureau, government officials and the top command of the Armed Forces. Among them was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. The presence of both civilian and military leadership underlined the institutional dimension of Poland’s defence governance and the importance of coordination at the highest levels.

Constitutional mandate and strategic realism

Opening his address, President Nawrocki quoted the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, recalling the head of state’s obligation to safeguard sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.

- The President of the Republic shall ensure observance of the Constitution, safeguard the sovereignty and security of the State as well as the inviolability and integrity of its territory.

He stressed that Poland’s international standing and resilience must be grounded in an honest assessment of the evolving security environment. According to Nawrocki, Polish soldiers play a decisive role in shaping the country’s security posture, and strengthening the Armed Forces remains a central priority of his presidency.

Hybrid pressure and alliance cohesion

A key theme of the speech concerned hybrid activities and incidents below the threshold of open conflict.

- We must be prepared to respond to a series of incidents below the threshold of war that will test our resilience. Their objective will also be to undermine NATO cohesion.

The President reaffirmed that NATO remains the cornerstone of Poland’s security architecture, alongside the strategic partnership with the United States. At the same time, he acknowledged ongoing debates within the Alliance regarding burden-sharing and the need for all member states to enhance their defence capabilities.

- All NATO member states must develop their capabilities in solidarity.

He emphasized that closer operational coordination between the Ministry of National Defence and the Presidential Palace is essential for effective decision-making in crisis situations.

Modernization, deterrence and continuity

President Nawrocki devoted significant attention to military modernization, arguing that operational effectiveness depends on acquiring transformative capabilities that strengthen credible deterrence.

- Modernization must deliver breakthrough capabilities for effective deterrence and serve the construction of a modern defence potential.

He underscored that modernization programmes must be economically justified, technologically advanced and based on genuine diversification of procurement sources. Importantly, he warned that long-term defence development cannot be disrupted by political changes linked to democratic cycles. Strategic continuity, he argued, is fundamental to national security.

Financial instruments and sovereign certainty

Referring to discussions around the SAFE loan instrument, the President acknowledged that the Polish Armed Forces require substantial financial resources. However, he raised concerns regarding the sovereignty dimension of conditional funding mechanisms.

- Yes, the Polish army needs the substantial funds offered by the SAFE loan. However, concerns arise regarding sovereignty—how much freedom does this mechanism grant us in allocating these funds under conditionality rules?

He stressed that predictability in defence financing is crucial:

- We must be certain that these funds will not be suspended or frozen. Certainty means security; uncertainty means danger.

Unity as a strategic requirement

Throughout his address, Nawrocki repeatedly returned to the theme of national unity. In his view, strengthening the Armed Forces and safeguarding sovereignty require broad political and institutional consensus. Security policy, he suggested, must transcend partisan divisions.

Concluding his speech, he reaffirmed the central role of the military in safeguarding the Republic:

- Long live the Polish Armed Forces, long live the Polish soldier, long live Poland.

The message delivered at the Citadel was clear: the strength of the Republic is inseparable from the strength of its Armed Forces—and effective security policy requires not only capabilities and resources, but also national unity and strategic continuity.