WARSAW — After a politically turbulent process, Poland has become the first country to sign the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument agreements, clearing the way for Warsaw to begin receiving €43.7 billion ($51.6 billion) in defense funding by the end of the month.
The signing occurred Friday in the presence of a group of key leaders from both the EU and Poland, underlining the importance of the event, which Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described as a “special moment” that reflects a “turning point in the history of both Poland and the European Union.”
“We all hope to avoid open conflict, but we know the time and place we live in, so we want to ensure that the Polish army and the Polish defense industry will be able to meet any challenge,” Tusk added.
“It is still a huge task, but it will be simpler thanks to a change in policy, a change in strategy in the European Union … This is also the day when all of Europe, shows that it has learned a lesson from history and that it is ready, in accordance with the recommendations and in cooperation with the United States, to take on much greater responsibility for our security.”
Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, said at the signing that “Poland is truly a leader in Europe, when it comes to defense of Poland, defense of the [NATO] eastern flank, and defense of all of Europe. … Today we need common defense [and] we need to produce much more defense equipment.”
