Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Friday that his government is planning large-scale military training for all adult men due to the changing security situation in Europe. Speaking to Poland's lower house of parliament, the Sejm, Tusk explained that the goal is to build a strong reserve force to handle potential threats. He emphasised the need for an army of 500,000 soldiers, including reservists. 

The Polish government stated last year that the military currently consists of roughly 200,000 personnel and is expected to increase to 220,000 this year, with the goal of reaching approximately 300,000. However, with Russia continuing to bombard Ukraine with missiles and drones and the Trump administration withdrawing military and intelligence support for Ukraine while questioning its pledges to NATO, security concerns have escalated dramatically in recent weeks. “Today we are talking about the need for a half-million army in Poland,” Tusk said. After his speech, Tusk clarified to reporters that he was not planning to bring back universal military service. 

Instead, he proposed a reserve system similar to Switzerland's. In Switzerland, all men must serve in the military or complete an alternative civilian service, while women can join voluntarily if they wish. Poland, home to 38 million people, is situated on NATO's eastern border and is deeply worried about the war in Ukraine. Many fear that if Ukraine falls, Russia may set its sights on other countries like Poland, which it controlled in the 19th century and during the Cold War. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's main opposition party, the conservative Law and Justice, stated that alongside military training for men, a change in mindset within society is also necessary.

“We will have a return to the chivalric ethos and to the fact that men should also be soldiers, that is, be able to expose themselves, even to death,” Kaczynski said. People in Poland and across most of Europe are worried because U.S. President Donald Trump seems to be changing his approach, showing support for Russia's position. However, on Friday, he strongly warned Russia after it launched a major attack on Ukraine's energy facilities using dozens of missiles and drones. “If Ukraine loses the war or if it accepts the terms of peace, armistice, or capitulation in such a way that weakens its sovereignty and makes it easier for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to gain control over Ukraine, then, without a doubt and we can all agree on that Poland will find itself in a much more difficult geopolitical situation,” Tusk said.

Polish President Andrzej Duda announced on Friday that he is proposing a change to the country's Constitution. This amendment would require Poland to spend at least 4% of its GDP every year on defence. Poland has already surpassed 4% of its GDP this year, making it the largest NATO member to spend on defence relative to its total economy. Duda, however, stated that he wished to cement it in the highest statute by taking advantage of the agreement on the political landscape in Poland today. Trump has hinted that the U.S. might stop supporting its allies if they don't spend enough on defence as agreed.