Poland intends to allocate a part of its defense loan under the EU's SAFE program to cooperation with Ukraine. This includes the supply of weapons from the Polish defense industry and collaboration on joint ventures.
According to Defence24, this was announced by the Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Defense Paweł Zalewski. He noted that cooperation between the countries will focus on unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-drone systems.
Read more: Another IRIS-T SLM Arrives in Ukraine, Already Shooting Down russian Kh-101, Iskander-K Missiles and Shahed Drones
Polish-Ukrainian investments in Poland are also mentioned. Most likely, this refers to the establishment of Ukrainian production facilities on Polish territory. It is also likely that this will include the exchange or transfer of technology to Polish companies.
While the exact amounts have not been disclosed, some Polish opposition figures assert that the SAFE program for Ukraine may be valued at €10 billion. Considering that, according to available information, 89% of the loan, expected to total €43.7 billion, is allocated to the Polish defense industry. However, this claim appears to be an exaggeration.
From Defense Express we would like to note that this should bring significant benefits for the development of Polish industry. At the same time, additional funds will help the Ukrainian defense industry develop new products and expand its production facilities.
Moreover, Poland seeks not only to acquire technology and new enterprises but also to supply Ukraine with products produced with these resources. This is a kind of military aid with the improvement of their own industry using technologies proven on the battlefield.
There are also plans to use SAFE funds to order weapons from the Polish defense industry for supply to the Ukrainian military. These may include Krab self-propelled howitzers, Oncilla armored personnel carriers, FlyEye reconnaissance UAVs, which have been called one of the most effective Western drones, Warmate loitering munitions, and even Grot assault rifles.
Thanks to the EU's defense initiative, Polish-Ukrainian cooperation in the development and production of military products will be able to flourish. However, caution is still needed in technology transfer to preserve the competitiveness of the Ukrainian defense industry.
Read more: BRAWLR that Shot Down 400 Targets in Ukraine May Go Autonomous for Frontline Missions
