Radosław Sikorski responds to Pete Hegseth's remarks on NATO in Afghanistan

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has drawn sharp criticism from Polish officials after making remarks downplaying the contribution of NATO allies during the mission in Afghanistan. Speaking to cadets at the University of Tennessee, Hegseth noted that while approximately 50 nations were represented by flags at the NATO headquarters in Kabul, he claimed only one or two countries were actually involved in combat operations toward the end of the mission.

Hegseth also referenced a joke within the American military regarding the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) acronym, suggesting it stood for ‘I Saw Americans Fighting.’

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski responded to the comments on social media, challenging Hegseth to say those words to the families of the 44 Polish soldiers who died while securing the Ghazni province. Jan Grabiec, Chief of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, also demanded an apology, stating that allies should not mock the blood shed together in service.