Polish MP Macierewicz accuses former PM Tusk of enabling Russian attack through 2009 military policy at PiS security convention.
Suspension of Universal Military Service
Antoni Macierewicz criticized the 2009 decision by Donald Tusk’s government to suspend universal military service. He called it “one of the most dramatic decisions” shaping Polish national security, transforming the military into a professional force. Macierewicz claimed this shift concentrated officer roles around personnel who served in communist-era secret services.
Tusk’s 2007 Russia Policy
Macierewicz referenced Tusk’s 2007 inaugural speech, where the prime minister stated Poland must engage with Russia “as it is.” Tusk had emphasized dialogue despite policy differences, arguing it served both nations’ interests. Macierewicz alleged this policy, combined with withdrawing main military forces from eastern Poland to the Oder and Vistula rivers, created vulnerabilities.
Current Security Criticism
Macierewicz highlighted PiS security measures, including establishing the Territorial Defense Forces and increasing U.S. troop presence in Poland from 4,500 in 2016 to about 10,000 post-Ukraine invasion. He claimed Donald Trump has proposed adding another 10,000 U.S. soldiers but criticized Tusk and Kosiniak-Kamysz for silence on this “fundamental” security issue.
