Warsaw, 8 March 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Poland plans to introduce military training for all men in view of Russia's war against Ukraine, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Friday.

"We will try to have a ready-made model by the end of the year so that every adult man in Poland is trained for war," Tusk said in a speech to parliament.

The aim is to create a reserve that corresponds to the level of potential threats, he said.

Tusk did not provide further details on the planned military training, but emphasized that it does not constitute a return to compulsory military service.

Women should also have the opportunity to take part in military training, the prime minister said, although war is still a male-dominated domain.

A member of the European Union and NATO, Poland shares a border with Ukraine, as well as with Russia's ally Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

The government in Warsaw spent an estimated 4.2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defence in 2024 - more than any other EU or NATO country relative to GDP.

Tusk spoke in parliament about the need to increase the size of Poland's army, including reservists, to 500,000 men. He also said the country's defence spending should be increased to 5% of GDP.

Polish President Andrzej Duda has also called for greater investments in security. He has submitted a draft constitutional amendment to parliament that would set a minimum level for defence spending of 4% of GDP.

Photo: EPA