On Tuesday, May 6, one of the key security forums in Central and Eastern Europe — Defence24 Days — opened in Warsaw. The event brought together high-ranking officials of the Polish government, representatives of NATO, law enforcement agencies, defense industry, think tanks, and international partners.
For several days, participants have been discussing key security challenges on the Alliance’s eastern flank, issues of cyber defense, information warfare, armaments, as well as new trends and technologies in defense sector. The event opened in the format of a plenary session with a high level of representation, which emphasized its strategic importance.
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The organizers also prepared an exhibition that demonstrated the latest samples of military equipment, digital solutions, and dual-use technologies.
From the first speeches at the event, it was clear that this was not just about war in the classical sense, but about a wide field of defense - from logistics, cyberspace and digital security to the strategic autonomy of the defense industry. Polish government officials emphasized that armed forces must be ready to defend the entire country, but effective defense also means reliable cyber infrastructure as well as the fight against disinformation. The Deputy Prime Minister of Poland and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz drew attention to information and psychological attacks from russia, which are aimed at the disintegration of democratic societies, causing distrust in governments and allied structures. Poland, as the speakers noted, is resolutely determined to resist this pressure and expects solidarity from NATO partners.
The Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Poland paid special attention to the level of defense investment. Poland is already spending more than 4% of GDP on security needs - this is one of the highest indicators in NATO. The government plans to raise this level to 4.7%, which indicates a long-term strategy of rearmament and strengthening of the defense potential. As Poland's Minister of State Assets Jakub Jaworski emphasized in turn, in the modern world, democratic values must be supported by real power so Poland is ready to invest in this power.
The Chief of the Polish General Staff, Wiesław Kukula, emphasized the need to create armed forces capable of carrying out deterrence and rapid response tasks. He emphasized that a record number of NATO troops are currently deployed in Central Europe - closer to russia than ever. This is not an aggressive step, but, on the contrary, a demonstration of determination to protect European security.
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, Minister of Digital Affairs, Krzysztof Gawkowski, also spoke at the opening of the event and reported that the country experiences more than 600,000 cyberattacks every month — 60% of them are directed against critical infrastructure. russia, he said, is waging a systemic war in the information field and is even trying to recruit Polish citizens through financial incentives. In response, Polish government has allocated record funds for cyber defense, and has also launched the first quantum connection to improve information security.
Also during the opening of Defence24 Days, initiatives were presented on the development of artificial intelligence in the military sphere as well as the accelerated localization of ammunition production. Poland plans to become a key center of defense innovation in Europe, using the experience of the war in Ukraine as a lesson for the entire continent. According to one of the speakers, today's decisions are not the path to war, but the path to never allowing an attack on Poland or any other state again.
Defence24 Days is the largest conference in Central and Eastern Europe dedicated to defense and security issues. It is the leading event for the defense sector and industries of the Republic of Poland related to the security of citizens, businesses and public administration.
The event is held at the PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw (Warsaw National Stadium) on May 6-7, 2024.
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