Jacek Siewiera, head of the National Security Bureau, referred to a report published on the NATO website on Tuesday that put Poland’s 216,100 military personnel behind only the United States in first place with over 1,300,000, and Turkey in second with 481,000.
“Poland has the third largest armed forces in NATO! Even if the data from the 'Defense Expenditure of NATO Countries’ report published today by the Alliance are estimates for this year, 'POLAND, THE FIRST ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE' is becoming a fact," Siewiera wrote on X. “And that is also a factor that averts the specter of war…”
NATO’s ‘Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2014–2023)’ report presents statistics on national defense expenditures up until February 7, 2024, with estimated figures for 2023.
In terms of defense expenditure as a percentage of GDP, Poland tops the NATO list with 3.93% according to the 2023 estimate, with the USA in second place at 3.24% and Greece in third at 3.05%. In terms of the percentage change since 2014, Poland is fourth on the list with 190% growth, behind Latvia on 208.87%, Hungary on 213.26%, and Lithuania on 302.46%.
