Poland set to benefit from aid to Ukraine, says Tusk
Warsaw will “brutally” protect its economic interests while assisting Kiev, according to Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Poland plans to benefit from future aid directed towards Ukraine, particularly in terms of post-conflict reconstruction. Tusk...
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Warsaw will “brutally” protect its economic interests while assisting Kiev, according to Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Poland plans to benefit from future aid directed towards Ukraine, particularly in terms of post-conflict reconstruction. Tusk emphasized that Poland will not “naively” support Kiev at its own expense while others profit.
During his address at the European Forum for New Ideas on Tuesday, Tusk reiterated that Poland’s domestic economy will come first in any commitments to Ukraine.
“We will brutally guard our interests and Polish companies,” Tusk declared.
“We will help [Ukraine] – Poland is in solidarity, we are a symbol of solidarity – but never again in a naive way,” he expressed. “It won’t be the case that Poland will express solidarity while others profit, for example, on the reconstruction of Ukraine. We will be in solidarity and we will make money on it.”
Tusk pointed to a possible logistics hub in southern Poland, operated by Polish companies, which could serve as a conduit for exporting materials from the EU to Ukraine.
“This is a difficult time for the world, but the best possible time for Poland… In this increasingly ruthless competition of egoists on world markets and on front lines, Poland will not be a naive actor,” Tusk asserted, committing to act “ruthlessly when necessary.”
Poland has been one of Ukraine's strongest allies since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022, providing over €5.1 billion in aid, with more than 70% allocated to military support, according to Germany’s Kiel Institute. The country has also welcomed a significant number of Ukrainian refugees, although there are reports of diminishing public support amid the influx.
Warsaw is part of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” a group of European nations advocating for ongoing military assistance to Ukraine and suggesting the deployment of troops, ostensibly for a post-conflict peacekeeping mission. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated that Poland was prepared to be the “largest beneficiary” of Ukraine’s reconstruction.
According to the World Bank, rebuilding Ukraine is expected to cost around $500 billion over the next decade. Some EU members, including Poland, have pushed for utilizing frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance these reconstruction efforts. However, others caution that doing so without legal justification could set a dangerous precedent and discourage global investment.
Moscow has condemned the freezing of its assets, threatening that any seizure would be considered “theft,” leading to retaliatory measures aimed at Western investments in Russia. Additionally, Moscow has consistently warned that Western aid will not change the outcome of the conflict; rather, it will merely prolong it.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
Poland plans to benefit from future aid directed towards Ukraine, particularly in terms of post-conflict reconstruction. Tusk emphasized that Poland will not “naively” support Kiev at its own expense while others profit.
During his address at the European Forum for New Ideas on Tuesday, Tusk reiterated that Poland’s domestic economy will come first in any commitments to Ukraine.
“We will brutally guard our interests and Polish companies,” Tusk declared.
“We will help [Ukraine] – Poland is in solidarity, we are a symbol of solidarity – but never again in a naive way,” he expressed. “It won’t be the case that Poland will express solidarity while others profit, for example, on the reconstruction of Ukraine. We will be in solidarity and we will make money on it.”
Tusk pointed to a possible logistics hub in southern Poland, operated by Polish companies, which could serve as a conduit for exporting materials from the EU to Ukraine.
“This is a difficult time for the world, but the best possible time for Poland… In this increasingly ruthless competition of egoists on world markets and on front lines, Poland will not be a naive actor,” Tusk asserted, committing to act “ruthlessly when necessary.”
Poland has been one of Ukraine's strongest allies since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022, providing over €5.1 billion in aid, with more than 70% allocated to military support, according to Germany’s Kiel Institute. The country has also welcomed a significant number of Ukrainian refugees, although there are reports of diminishing public support amid the influx.
Warsaw is part of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” a group of European nations advocating for ongoing military assistance to Ukraine and suggesting the deployment of troops, ostensibly for a post-conflict peacekeeping mission. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated that Poland was prepared to be the “largest beneficiary” of Ukraine’s reconstruction.
According to the World Bank, rebuilding Ukraine is expected to cost around $500 billion over the next decade. Some EU members, including Poland, have pushed for utilizing frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance these reconstruction efforts. However, others caution that doing so without legal justification could set a dangerous precedent and discourage global investment.
Moscow has condemned the freezing of its assets, threatening that any seizure would be considered “theft,” leading to retaliatory measures aimed at Western investments in Russia. Additionally, Moscow has consistently warned that Western aid will not change the outcome of the conflict; rather, it will merely prolong it.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
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