Poland Holds Largest Military Parade Amid Major Defense Buildup

Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that “only those who are strong” will avoid war as Poland hosted its largest ever military parade amid a military buildup by Warsaw designed to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank against the threat from Russia. Saturday’s display of the country’s military potential on land, sea and in the air comes on Poland’s Armed Forces Day, which marks the anniversary of a key Polish victory over the Soviet Union in the 1920 Battle of Warsaw. JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The parade in Warsaw kicked off at noon, with more than 60 military aircraft flying over the Polish capital, followed by a ceremony which saw President Karol Nawrocki confer promotions on 21 Polish military officers. The main portion of the parade started shortly afterwards – following speeches by Nawrocki and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz – with close to 2,000 Polish troops beginning their march along Warsaw’s Vistula River alongside more than 300 military vehicles. With Russia’s war against Ukraine ongoing, effective deterrence is the key message behind this year’s parade as Poland accelerates its modernization program. The country, the biggest defense spender in NATO last year in relation to its GDP, has poured billions into new hardware including aircraft, ships and helicopters. A naval parade involving more than 20 vessels, including ships from allied countries, is also being held near the cities of Gdynia and Gdańsk on Poland’s northern Baltic Sea coast, with Prime Minister Tusk in attendance. Other Topics of Interest How Europe’s Political Center Lost Its Voters - Why Meloni, Le Pen, and the AfD Are No Longer on the Margins Many voters increasingly feel that mainstream politicians have failed to address problems that directly affect their daily lives. Call for strength Speaking at the event, Tusk said that Poland wants to “avoid war”, and that “only those who are strong, well-prepared, truly independent and sovereign will avoid war.” Other ceremonies were also held on Saturday as part of Armed Forces Day, including a ceremonial changing of the guard at Warsaw’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, attended by top officials. President Nawrocki said that Poland, often attacked by its neighbors in its history, “knows perfectly well the price paid for independence and freedom.” He added that Saturday was a day “of commitment, not only to the past, history and memory, but also a day of commitment to the present and future, to the safety of our children and grandchildren.” ‘Let’s not forget we are one nation’ Amid political tensions and differences between the president and the government over Poland’s use of the EU’s multi-billion SAFE loan program for defense financing, the head of state said the country’s security is more important than political disputes. He added: “Today, a falling missile will not ask whether someone votes for one political party or another… Let’s not forget that we are one nation.” Poland, which borders both Russia and Ukraine, has carried out one of the fastest military modernization drives in Europe since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Spending spree Among the weapons showcased on Saturday was the US-designed F-35 fighter jet. The advanced warplane is one of the newest additions to Warsaw’s arsenal, with the first three F-35s arriving in Poland in May as part of a $4.6 billion order for a total of 32 such aircraft. Warsaw has also ordered 96 AH-64E Apache helicopters from the US and has just launched the ORP Wicher frigate. It has also ordered Swedish A26 Blekinge-class submarines, which are among the most advanced non‑nuclear vessels in Europe. Poland spent around 4.7% of GDP on defense in 2025, the highest relative figure among NATO members, and aims to raise spending to 5% in 2026. Poland’s armed forces now have more than 220,000 active duty personnel, making it the third largest military in NATO, behind only the US and Turkey. Warsaw is targeting 500,000 service members, including 200,000 reservists, by 2039. TVP World is Poland's first English-language channel where you can find our guest interviews, world news from the Polish perspective and the latest news from the CEE region.