Poland is expected to receive EUR 400 million in 2027 for arms transferred to Ukraine and from EUR 10 to 30 million from the additional pool. The compromise on the EU EPF is expected to end a multi-month dispute. For the Polish budget, this means recovering up to EUR 430 million due for real military aid.
Arrangement after months of dispute
The political breakthrough took place on 1 September at an informal gathering of EU defence ministers in Newtownmountkennedy, Ireland. Ireland holds this half-year Presidency of the Council of the EU, and head of Irish diplomacy and defence department Helen McEntee reported that most countries are ready to support a compromise of €6.6 billion. The formal decision is not yet there due to the fact that the Tuesday gathering was informal. The agreement is to be approved in the coming days in Brussels.
The money comes from the European Peace Instrument, known as the EPF. It is simply a fund operating outside the average budget of the Union. EU Council explains that EPF finances military and defence activities, including partial settlement of assistance to Ukraine by associate States. Poland donated equipment from its own resources. Reimbursement of these costs is not a gift from Brussels, but a performance of previously adopted rules.
Poland has already recovered EUR 830 million
Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Zalewski told PAP that Poland had so far received EUR 830 million. The current arrangement results in a further payment of EUR 400 million in 2027. The European Commission has prepared 2 options for the allocation of the additional pool, which is why Warsaw is expected to receive EUR 10 to 30 million. The final amount can so scope EUR 430 million.
The mechanics was blocked in 2024 by the erstwhile Hungarian government. After the change of power in Budapest, a dispute between associate States over the way money was distributed became an obstacle. According to PAP, the frost of payments covered about 450 million euro due to Poland. 2 years later, they showed a weakness in the system, which was to rapidly account for countries bearing real support costs.
Poland cannot accept the situation in which it transfers arms, strengthens the east flank of NATO, and then waits for months to return due. Parallel dispute over the usage of EUR 210 billion of frozen Russian assets. Europe's defence should be more burdened by an aggressor than by the taxpayers of the countries that reacted most quickly.
Money must strengthen Polish defence
Recovery is crucial for the Polish budget and military capabilities. The talk of money for equipment that left Polish warehouses, so the natural direction of their usage is to replenish stocks and order for the national defence industry. Without this, the refund will be improved by the accounting balance sheet, but will not reconstruct the lost capacity.
There is besides a model in Europe where European countries fund American Patriot systems for Ukraine. Poland must guarantee its own interest in each specified mechanism: prices, transportation dates and participation of Polish establishments. Solidarity towards Russian aggression does not mean consent to the Polish payer pay first and recover last.
A compromise is needed, but its value will be assessed only by a timely payment. For Poles, the stake is simple: EUR 430 million is to return to the country and work for our security.
Source: PAP via Bankier.pl
Source: Bankier.pl
