On March 12, 1999, in the city of Independence in the US, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright formally received the document ratifying our access to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. This was an unequivocal and clear declaration, in which a free and democratic Poland set out the vision of its security and the way in which it wished to develop it.
The decision to join NATO was one of the most important moments in modern Polish history.
“We became a member of the largest and strongest defensive alliance in the history of the modern world – let us remember that this year we celebrate its 75th anniversary,” said the deputy prime minister, minister of defense, Władysław Kosiniak–Kamysz
The status of a member state of NATO remains one of the main pillars of Polish security policy, as well as that of Europe. Article 5 of the Washington Treaty is a guarantee of Poland’s safety and the foundation of the Alliance’s deterrence capability.
Poland not only benefits from common security, but also makes an important contribution to its strengthening. Entrusting Poland with the organization of a meeting between NATO heads of state and government in 2016 was proof of our country’s position in the Alliance. The Summit which took place in Warsaw then was an important event in the history of the Alliance, beginning a new chapter in the military adaptation of NATO to the changing security environment.
25 years of membership of Poland in NATO meant for the soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces a time of intense service, dynamic development and building a strong position in NATO.
From the moment of joining NATO, Poland has been fulfilling all obligations that membership in the Alliance places on the participating states. Polish soldiers have taken and still take part in Alliance-led missions and operations. Over the course of our 25 years of membership, 75 000 Polish soldiers and civilian employees have served in them.
Poland is an important member of the Alliance not just because of its geopolitical position, but primarily because of its experience and potential. It is a leader among the Alliance states in terms of the defense expenditures, with one of large percentages of our GDP assigned to defense – double the 2% required by NATO, at the level of 4.2% GDP in 2024, which is a planned 158 bln zlotys, over 50% of which we will devote to the modernization of the Armed Forces. Many investments were completed as part of the NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP), the total value of which is 7.8 bln zlotys.
