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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPoland kicks off unprecedented military spending spree
Poland kicks off unprecedented military spending spreeWarsaw (AFP) - Looking east to the bloody conflict gripping Ukraine, NATO-member Poland has kicked off an unprecedented military spending spree worth billions to overhaul its forces as Warsaw believes peace in Europe is no longer a given.
The escalation of tensions with Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and subsequent role in the crisis in that country's east has sounded the alarm on NATO's eastern flank in countries that were under Moscow's thumb during the Cold War.
Russia has also rattled its neighbours by repeatedly testing their air defences. NATO intercepted nuclear-capable Russian bombers and other warplanes in European airspace on more than 100 occasions last year, three times more than in 2013.
Even though a Ukraine ceasefire deal was hammered out this past week in Minsk by Paris, Berlin, Moscow and Kiev, the risk of the conflict heating up remains, Polish officials believe.
"The key to a political and military solution lies in Moscow," Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski told reporters Thursday in Warsaw.
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http://news.yahoo.com/poland-kicks-off-unprecedented-military-spending-spree-005930875.html#
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)Yep, they can stop invading countries, very prudent for them to think about their defense.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)Crimean is very different but out East, various factions, many operating independently of Russia with some local factions with Russian supply assistance largely motivated for independence of Kiev & western Ukraine influence. Referendums were carried even with Putin publicly calling them for to be postponed or delayed. The guy questioned about it mentioned he doesn't have a direct line to Putin but basically said its not up to him.
Basically there is an either misconception or willful misconception that Russia can pretty much influence these factions to do whatever Russia wants but it is clear their issues are with government and will take Russian help if they offer it but that is about it.
On edit - It is unlikely they'd advance toward Poland since they're apparently fighting over territory they live in.