"Only then can Europe truly negotiate": Polish minister urges EU to spend more on defense

Bloomberg reports.

"The recipe is simple: more defense spending, more investment in the military industry," mentioned Kosiniak-Kamysz.  

He believes that "only then will Europe truly be able to take a seat at the negotiating table."  

The minister said that Russia's war against Ukraine has significantly impacted the security situation in Poland and NATO's eastern flank.  

Notably, U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently took office, has increased demands on NATO allies to raise their defense spending to 5% of their GDP—double the current 2% target. While these demands previously sparked controversy among allies, the war in Ukraine has led many to reconsider the necessity of such measures.  

Poland is already close to meeting these commitments, allocating a record 186.6 billion zlotys ($46.4 billion) over the year, amounting to 4.7% of its GDP.  

Kosiniak-Kamysz pointed out that increasing defense spending will not only strengthen Europe's position in its partnership with the U.S. but also boost economic growth through investments in the military industry.  

He called for radical changes in approaches to financing military investments at the European level, suggesting, for example, the use of unused funds allocated for post-pandemic recovery for defense needs. However, not all European countries are ready to support the idea of joint borrowing to fund defense.  

The Polish defense minister emphasized that Kremlin aggression poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to stability in Southern Europe, urging partners in Italy and Spain to recognize the risks that could emerge at their borders due to insufficient security investments.  

"I think our partners in Italy or Spain need to understand this," added Kosiniak-Kamysz. "A lack of investment in security does not mean there are no threats at their borders." 

• The European Union has made the first payment of €3 billion from the G7 loan to Ukraine