Poland's Andrzej Duda avers chances of Russian attack on NATO nations remain 'very slim'

Amid soaring tensions between Russia and Ukraine and speculations that Russia may attack the members of NATO, the Polish President refuted any such claims and said he believes "the chances of Russian attack" are very rare. President Andrzej Duda, in an interview with Polska Times on Thursday, said he has assessed the likelihood of Russia's attack against a NATO country as "very slim." However, he acknowledged the potential threats still exist and noted that NATO soldiers are well experienced and are equipped with all modern weapons.

"Of course, the potential threat still exists, but please note that over 10,000 soldiers of the world's largest army are present in Poland. The most powerful army, the best and most modernly equipped," Duda said.

"Soldiers have experience of previous wars; we also have the American infrastructure, heavy weapons, anti-missile defence, thanks to which part of Poland is already protected by the American Patriot system," he added. 

According to the Polish President, if any such attack happened, the alliance would act accordingly. "If there was an attack on any NATO member, including Poland, the alliance's response would be immediate and decisive," Duda noted. It is worth mentioning that Russian President Vladimir Putin, on several occasions, warned other countries seeking to join the US-backed military alliance of a possible military attack.

Additionally, Putin has also warned that Sweden and Finland will face 'dire consequences' if they join NATO. However, ignoring the apparent threat, both countries have recently submitted their applications for NATO membership.

What is NATO?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance between 27 European countries, two North American countries, and one Eurasian country. The organisation implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949. According to NATO, it is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under the collective defence clause of NATO's founding treaty - Article 5 of the Washington Treaty or under a United Nations mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organisations.

(Image: AP)