Speaking at a news conference in Warsaw ahead of the summit, Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed the need for unity within the alliance and reaffirmed Poland’s support for increasing defence spending.
The summit, taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday in The Hague, Netherlands, will be the first NATO gathering since Trump returned to the White House in January.
One of the key proposals on the table is a new spending target: 3.5 percent of GDP for defence and an additional 1.5 percent for other security-related needs, starting in 2032.
The initiative was put forward by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
While some European countries have asked for the deadline to be extended to 2035, others, including Poland, favour an earlier target of 2030.
"I am closer to that second view – 2030 would be optimal," said Kosiniak-Kamysz, who also serves as a deputy prime minister.
He added that he opposes exemptions from the target for any NATO member.
Poland, he said, is a model ally, standing out for both the size of its army and its investment in modern military technologies.
He also emphasised the importance of NATO infrastructure development, including extending fuel pipeline networks that currently end in western Germany.
Kosiniak-Kamysz had been scheduled to meet Norway’s Defence Minister Tore Sandvik on Monday, but the meeting was postponed due to a Russian missile strike on Kyiv overnight that delayed Sandvik’s travel from the Ukrainian capital.
The two are now expected to meet during the NATO summit, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters on Monday that summit participants would also discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran and broader developments in the Middle East.
Tensions have spiked since June 13, when Israel targeted Iranian military and nuclear sites. The United States followed with air strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, while Iran on Monday launched a missile strike on the Al Udeid US air base in Qatar, according to reports.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said the Middle East situation would be the main topic of Tuesday’s meeting of the Polish government’s National Security Committee, particularly in the context of the Polish military’s presence in the region.
Poland has troops in Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq, with its military contingent in Iraq drawing the most attention and analysis.
Ukraine will also be on the agenda, he said.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also commented on the recent evacuation of Polish citizens from Israel and Iran, calling it a success.
Around 300 people were brought home in total, including 64 citizens and four small children on the final flight that arrived in Poland early on Monday. He noted that Poland completed its evacuation while some countries were still launching theirs.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP