Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed legislation that would have enabled the country to access nearly €44 billion in EU defence loans, escalating a political clash with the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk over how to finance the country’s defence spending.
The bill would have allowed Warsaw to access funds from the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program, a €150 billion initiative aimed at boosting defence spending and strengthening Europe’s defence industry.
Poland was set to receive around €43.7 billion in loans under the scheme, making it the largest potential beneficiary.
EU loans to speed up military investment
Tusk’s pro-EU coalition had strongly supported the legislation, arguing that the loans would provide favourable financing to accelerate Poland’s military modernisation at a time of heightened security concerns following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
Officials said the funding could support a wide range of defence projects, including strengthening the country’s eastern border and investing in domestic arms production.
But Nawrocki, who is aligned with the conservative opposition, argued that relying on EU loans could increase Poland’s dependence on Brussels. Instead, he has proposed using domestic resources to finance defence investments, including profits from the country’s central bank reserves.
The decision triggered swift criticism from members of the government. In a post on X, Tusk wrote: “The president lost his chance to act like a patriot,” referring to what he described as a missed opportunity to secure EU financing for defence investment.
He also announced a special cabinet meeting on Friday morning when he will introduce alternative steps to approve the loan. Tusk earlier said that his government is preparing a "plan B" that would still allow Poland to access SAFE funds.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski also criticised the move on social media, warning that blocking access to the EU mechanism could weaken Poland’s ability to strengthen its defence capabilities.
Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz defended the government’s proposal, arguing that the EU loans would allow Poland to expand military spending without placing additional strain on the national budget.
