Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday that the government wants to launch a new voluntary military training program starting next year to train 100,000 volunteers in 2027, Reuters reported.

“The most important thing for us is that every interested person can take part in such training no later than 2026. This is a difficult task, but I know it is doable,” Tusk said before the cabinet meeting.

“In 2027, we will reach the ability to train 100,000 volunteers per year ... In addition to the professional army and in addition to the Territorial Defense Force, we must de facto create an army of reservists, and our actions will serve this goal,” he added.

Tusk said that as an incentive, the government would analyze the possibility, for example, of obtaining a professional driver's license, including to drive heavy vehicles, during military training.

“This would be useful in the case of war, but it would also come in handy in life for those interested in such qualifications,” he said. The government is also considering specialized training for certain professional groups. 

Tusk later wrote on social network X that he had told ministers that government members and officials would also undergo the training on a voluntary basis, which he said was met with full understanding.

Poland's government last week backed the idea of military training for all adult males.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Poland has spent a larger share of GDP on defense than any other NATO member.