Most Poles are categorically opposed to sending Polish military forces to support the US in ensuring the security of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is according to a recent survey conducted by SW Research for the Onet portal.
According to the survey results:
65.1% of respondents believe that Poland should not provide military assistance to the United States in the Strait of Hormuz.
Only 10% of respondents support the idea of Poland’s military participation.
25% of respondents were undecided or had no opinion.
The Polish government shares most of the Poles’ position. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has already stated that Poland will not send its troops to the conflict region with Iran. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski noted that any US request will only be considered within the NATO framework and subject to careful analysis. However, direct participation of Polish forces in the Persian Gulf operation is effectively ruled out.
The refusal of most European countries (including France, Germany, the UK, and others) to participate in the American initiative has already become one of the main topics on the global agenda in recent days. Polish public skepticism toward the new US Middle East mission is particularly pronounced against the backdrop of traditionally high support for the Atlantic vector in Polish politics.
Experts attribute this attitude to several factors: fatigue with supporting Ukraine, fears of economic consequences (rising fuel prices and inflation), and a reluctance to become embroiled in yet another distant conflict, which many Poles do not consider a direct threat to Poland’s security.
The results of SW Research’s survey for Onet are yet another sign that even the most loyal US allies in Eastern Europe are now extremely cautious about the idea of military involvement in the Iranian-American conflict.