In particular, Mariusz Blaszczak said that Poland's helicopters procurement program was changing, and stressed that the current priority for Warsaw was "the purchase of anti-submarine helicopters." Previously, Polish troops had only been prepared to participate in peacekeeping missions.
"Our predecessors [in the government] counted on good relations with Russia and were convinced that no threats should be expected from the East," Blaszczak said in a speech, reportedly noting that there allegedly was a zone of instability beyond Polish eastern borders.
He noted that in a few months a tender for the purchase of new attack helicopters would be announced.
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Moscow has repeatedly stated it would never attack any NATO ally.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the Western military alliance was aware of this Russian stance but uses alleged Russian aggression as a pretext for boosting its military build-up near the Russian borders.
