--- title: "«Only the Strongest Will Avoid War»: Poland Holds Historic Dual Parade with F-35s, Masking Diplomatic Rift with Ukraine" description: "🇵🇱 Poland held the largest military parade in history featuring F-35s and NATO equipment. PM Tusk stated: «Only the strongest will avoid war». But behind the facade of power lies a diplomatic scandal: Ukraine was not invited to the parade due to historical disputes. 🇺🇦🚫" date: 2026-08-15T12:35:44.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/only-the-strongest-will-avoid-war-poland-holds-historic-dual-parade-with-f-35s-masking-diplomatic-rift-with-ukraine tags: [poland, military-parade, f-35, ukraine, donald-tusk, nato, defense-industry] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # «Only the Strongest Will Avoid War»: Poland Holds Historic Dual Parade with F-35s, Masking Diplomatic Rift with Ukraine ![Military parade in Warsaw: Polish soldiers with flags showcase military might amid diplomatic rifts with Ukraine](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/15/polska-provela-krupnejsij-v-istorii-voennyj-parad-s-f-35-skryv-diplomaticheskij-raskol-s-ukrainoj/polska-provela-krupnejsij-v-istorii-voennyj-parad-s-f-35-skryv-diplomaticheskij-raskol-s-ukrainoj-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Poland held the largest dual parade in history (land and sea) with the participation of 9,000 military personnel. - F-35A Hussar fighters and South Korean K2 Black Panther tanks were shown for the first time. - Ukraine was not invited to the parade due to historical disputes and the drop in Tusk's ratings. - Equipment purchases were financed by a record EU loan of €43.7 billion. On Saturday, August 15, 2026, Poland celebrated Armed Forces Day with the largest and most expensive military parade in its modern history. This grand display of power, held simultaneously on the streets of Warsaw and in the waters of the Baltic Sea, aims to cement Poland's status as Europe's primary military bastion on NATO's eastern flank. The event was not merely a celebration but a report to the international community on Warsaw's readiness for scenarios that recently seemed apocalyptic. ### «Hussars» in the Sky, Abrams on the Ground, and Billions from the EU Warsaw deployed an unprecedented column: 1,800 soldiers, over 300 units of heavy machinery, and approximately 60 aircraft and helicopters. The main sensation of the air segment was the first public flight of three new American fifth-generation F-35A Hussar fighters, which arrived in Poland in May as part of a $4.6 billion deal. Along the Vistula embankment, American Abrams tanks, Patriot and HIMARS systems, German Leopards, as well as long-range Polish Krab howitzers and Gladius reconnaissance-strike UAVs also passed by. Synchronously, a naval parade took place in the Gulf of Gdańsk off the coast of Gdynia, involving more than 20 warships, including frigates and corvettes. As analysts note, this triumph served as a report to Brussels: the purchases were financed by a record defense loan from the EU under the SAFE program totaling €43.7 billion, the first tranche of which Poland utilized in early summer. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, accepting the parade, concisely expressed the country's new military doctrine: «Only the strongest will avoid war». [](/en/images/only-the-strongest-will-avoid-war-poland-holds-historic-dual-parade-with-f-35s-masking-diplomatic-rift-with-ukraine-2) ### Political Demarche: Kyiv Left Without an Invitation However, behind the display of allied unity (units from the USA, France, Canada, and Sweden participated in the parade) lies a deep crisis in relations with the nearest neighbor. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine officially confirmed that Ukrainian military personnel did not receive an invitation to the parade in Warsaw. This came as a shock to many observers, considering that in previous years, soldiers of the joint LithPolUkrBryg participated in the parade, and Ukrainian pilots were invited to the recent parade in Paris. [](/en/images/only-the-strongest-will-avoid-war-poland-holds-historic-dual-parade-with-f-35s-masking-diplomatic-rift-with-ukraine-3) ### Contradictory Data Warsaw consciously took this step against the backdrop of an exacerbated historical and political dispute. According to closed polls by the IBRiS agency, a third of Poles worsened their attitude towards Ukraine after one of the Ukrainian brigades received an honorary name in honor of the UPA, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy was deprived of the highest Polish award — the Order of the White Eagle. Striving to maintain ratings within the country, Tusk's government preferred to distance itself from the Ukrainian agenda on the main national holiday, focusing exclusively on its own defense self-sufficiency. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [80th Anniversary of the Liberation of France and the Spirit of the Olympics: How the Military Parade in Paris Passed on July 14](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D1%84%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F/20240714-80-%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%B6%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D1%84%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%B8-%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B8%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9-%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B4-%D0%B2-%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B6%D0%B5-14-%D0%B8%D1%8E%D0%BB%D1%8F-2024) - Использован для контекста международных парадов. - [Military Parade on July 14 in Paris — The Brightest Moments and Full Broadcast](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D1%84%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F/20250714-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9-%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B4-14-%D0%B8%D1%8E%D0%BB%D1%8F-%D0%B2-%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B6%D0%B5-%D0%BF%D1%80%D1%8F%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%8F-%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BB%D1%8F%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F) - Использован для контекста международных парадов. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Why was Ukraine not invited to the parade in Poland? **A:** The invitation was not sent due to the exacerbation of historical disputes, including the naming of Ukrainian units after the UPA and the deprivation of Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle. ### Q: What equipment participated in the parade? **A:** The parade included F-35A Hussar fighters, Abrams and Leopard tanks, Krab howitzers, HIMARS and Patriot systems, as well as South Korean K2 Black Panther tanks.