Poland Considers Asking for Access to NATO Nuclear Weapons

An inert Minuteman 3 missile in a training launch tube at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., U.S. on June 25, 2014. The base is tasked with maintaining 150 of the nuclear-tipped missiles spread out across the North Dakota countryside and keeping them ready to launch at a moment's notice as part of the U.S.'s nuclear defense strategy. (Charlie Riedel/AP)

WARSAW, Poland—A Polish official says that the Defense Ministry is considering asking for access to nuclear weapons through a NATO program under which the United States places them on the territory of certain allied states.

Tomasz Szatkowski, the deputy defense minister, said that the ministry is currently discussing whether to ask to take part in NATO’s so-called nuclear sharing program to improve the country’s defenses.

The idea comes as Poland is worried about a resurgent Russia to its east.

Polish media say Szatkowski’s comments Saturday to the private broadcaster Polsat mark the first time a Polish official has said the country wants to become part of the program.

The 28-member NATO has three nuclear powers, the U.S., France and Britain, but only the U.S. has provided weapons to allies for nuclear sharing. Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey have hosted nuclear weapons as part of the program.