Poland Borrows 44 Billion Euros From the EU to Strengthen Its Military Capabilities

TEHRAN (Defapress) - Poland has become the first EU member state to officially receive a large defense loan from the European Commission, a loan of nearly 44 billion euros that is to be spent on developing the country's military industries and modernizing its army.

The SAFE plan, which has been implemented since 2025, is part of the large-scale European rearmament program, for which the European Union has allocated a budget of 150 billion euros. The plan aims to increase the defense capabilities of European countries through long-term, low-interest loans and also to encourage joint military purchases.

According to the report, the repayment of these loans will continue for 45 years. Brussels, of course, stipulated that the bulk of the equipment purchased should be made in Europe or in allied countries, and that excessive dependence on manufacturers outside the EU should be limited. Although 18 European countries have so far requested the use of this mechanism, Poland is the first country to have managed to finalize the agreement.

Of course, it must be said that this decision was not without controversy within Poland. Karol Nawrocki, the country’s conservative president, had previously opposed the use of this loan, warning that such a move might affect Poland’s national sovereignty. He believes that financial dependence on Brussels could become a tool for political pressure on Warsaw in the future. For this reason, he had proposed that the defense budget be financed from domestic resources and the profits of the Polish Central Bank.

However, Donald Tusk’s liberal government, bypassing the president’s veto and using legal powers, approved a special plan entitled “Armed Poland,” and the agreement with the European Commission was finally signed on May 8. Donald Tusk described the agreement as “a historic moment for Poland and Europe,” saying the current geopolitical situation requires Europe to take greater responsibility for its security.

European officials have also introduced Poland as one of Europe’s new defense leaders, a country that has sharply increased its military budget in recent years and is becoming one of the most powerful armies on the continent.

According to the Polish government, the funds are to be used for about 120 military projects, including the production of armored vehicles, missile systems, defense equipment, and the development of domestic defense industries.