site.btaUPDATED Our Proposal to Allocate 3% of GDP for Defence Reasonable and Achievable - Polish President Duda

“Our proposal to allocate 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) for defence is, in my view, reasonable, realistic, and achievable,” said Polish President Andrzej Duda in a statement to the media during his official visit to Bulgaria, following a meeting with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev.

Duda noted that he discussed the topic with his Bulgarian counterpart.

The Polish President said he had submitted a letter to the NATO Secretary General advocating for an increase in defence spending by member states to at least 3% of their GDP.

He pointed out that this year Poland has allocated 4.7% of its GDP to defence, ranking it first among NATO countries in this regard.

“Indeed, we are purchasing a lot of equipment, but it is important to modernize and to restart our own production of ammunition and the new infantry fighting vehicles, which we are launching for production this year in Poland,” Duda added.

He also pointed out that an exchange of experience is possible regarding the F-16 fighter jets, as the Polish army has been operating them for years.

“In Poland, we want the war in Ukraine to end, and for Ukraine to preserve its sovereignty. We want the war to end with a lasting peace—one that ensures Russia never again attacks anyone,” the Polish president said.

According to him, the United States is capable—through economic competition and various forms of influence on the global market—of compelling Putin to stop the aggression in Ukraine. Duda expressed hope that this would happen.

He highlighted the infrastructure projects built under the Three Seas Initiative, noting that they hold great strategic importance in light of the war in Ukraine. He added that almost 50% of the Via Carpatia route is already completed in Bulgaria.

President Duda also commented on the development of relations in the fields of economy, tourism, and the increase in trade turnover between the two countries. He also invited Bulgarian businesses to invest in Poland and encouraged Polish citizens to visit Bulgaria.

The President of Poland thanked his Bulgarian counterpart, Rumen Radev, for their cooperation over the years, and noted that this was his farewell visit to Sofia, as his presidential term is nearing its end.

Regarding the upcoming presidential elections in Poland, Duda said that it is very likely there will be no clear winner in the first round and a runoff will be needed.

He emphasized the role of President Radev as a factor of political stability in Bulgaria, noting that when governments change, the president remains, and thanks to him, these initiatives and infrastructure projects continue to stay in focus.