UK will participate in the defence of eastern flank: Polish defence minister
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
25.06.2016 12:14
The United Kingdom will participate in the defence of NATO's eastern flank, said Polish Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz, following a Brexit vote on Friday.
Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz commented on the recent Brexit vote. Photo: PAP/Tomasz Waszczuk
Asked by journalists on whether the United Kingdom leaving the European Union would result in the country not participating in the defence of the eastern flank, which includes Poland and the Baltic region, Macierewicz said that he spoke to the UK defence secretary, who assured him that the strength of Polish security lies in the NATO alliance, which is unalterable.
“Britain will participate in the defence of the eastern flank. Nothing has changed in this matter," Macierewicz said.
He added that the fact that Britain is still in the alliance gives Poland the confidence that ties between the two countries are not only based on trade and social issues, but above all, relate mainly to national security.
In Thursday's ballot, 51.9% of Britons voted to leave the EU -- some 17.4 million people. And 48.1% voted to remain in the bloc -- around 16.1 million citizens.
Turnout in the referendum was over 70%, with over 30 million people voting.