Army reinforcements in eastern Poland by 2017

Training at an air base in Krzesiny, 28 October. Photo: PAP/Jakub Kaczmarczyk

Speaking with Polish Radio, the minister stressed that earlier reports by Associated Press were misleading “because many readers might have got the impression that thousands of soldiers were already getting into tanks and trains and heading east.

“No, this plan will be spread over many years, and the first effects will be visible in 2017.”

According to Siemoniak, the programme consists of increasing the numbers of soldiers in eastern garrisons, as well as investing in infrastructure in the region.

“I do not want to give any figures, because it is simply too early,” the minister added.

However, he acknowledged that the Ukrainian crisis has been integral to the decision-making process.

“Of course, there is an element of learning lessons from the crisis,” he said.

But Siemoniak claimed that “it is not just an emergency reaction,” but part of a general review of the armed forces, 25 years after the fall of communism.

“We want it to be a long-term programme,” he said, adding that it is “a very good time to develop and implement such a plan.”

Meanwhile, Siemoniak spoke positively about the 26 October parliamentary elections in Ukraine, with preliminary results revealing pro-EU parties triumphing.

“I think the election results will open a new stage in Polish-Ukrainian relations, and I hope that there will be a lot of new ideas, a lot of new projects, with Polish-Ukrainian cooperation in various areas broadening, including in the military sphere. (nh)