Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz spoke to Polish media in Washington on Monday after attending a White House Medal of Honor ceremony.
He said the conflict risks pushing up oil prices and raises the possibility of a blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, which he said could give Russia a chance to increase revenues from raw-material sales. He also pointed to the consumption of large quantities of ammunition and missiles, including for air and missile defense systems, by U.S. forces and regional allies, which could affect deliveries to Poland and Ukraine.
“We have no signals that what is happening now causes delays [in equipment deliveries], but every conflict consumes a lot of American equipment,” he said. He added that air defenses in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait were firing “hundreds, if not thousands” of interceptors, and said the defense industry in the United States, Poland and Europe should “shift not into fifth, but sixth gear.”
Kosiniak-Kamysz said he held talks around the ceremony with U.S. officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Army secretary Dan Driscoll and U.S. ambassador Tom Rose, and that he had discussed Iran a day earlier with Deputy Defense Secretary Elbridge Colby.
He said Poland was not asked to support the Iran operation, but that the message from Washington emphasized Europe must do more for its own security. He argued that regardless of who becomes the next U.S. president, a strategy of reduced U.S. financial involvement in Europe’s security would not change.
Asked about whether Poland was warned in advance of the Iran operation, he said the United States did not notify anyone, though intelligence pointed earlier to the likelihood of an attack and the precise date and time were known “only to a few people from President Trump’s closest circle.”
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Source: PAP