Poland, not Ukraine, will receive €43 billion from the EU to protect it from Russia
10 September 08:35
The European Union is allocating 43.7 billion euros to Poland under the new Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defense program. This is the largest amount among all the participating countries, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports, citing Reuters.
SAFE provides for a total funding of €150 billion, which will be allocated to 19 EU member states. The funds will be provided in the form of soft loans and grants to develop the defense industry, modernize armies and strengthen military infrastructure.
Why Poland will receive the most
According to the agency, the decision to allocate the largest share to Warsaw is explained by several factors. First of all, it is the country’s geographical location – Poland borders Ukraine and Belarus, making it a key outpost of NATO and the EU on the eastern flank.
In addition, Brussels took into account Warsaw’s active investment in its own defense sector in recent years. Poland has sharply increased its military budget, purchases modern equipment from the United States and South Korea, and is actively increasing its own arms production.
SAFE program: a long-term strategy
The European Commission explained that the SAFE program is a response to the growing threat from Russia. Its goal is to ensure the long-term sustainability of European defense, reduce dependence on external suppliers, and create conditions for joint investments in the military sphere.
This funding will not only strengthen the armies of the member states, but will also facilitate the integration of defense markets within the EU.
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Poland as a pillar of NATO’s eastern flank
Over the past two years, Poland has consistently emphasized the need to strengthen the security of the region and has been one of the main lobbyists for expanded support for Ukraine. Receiving a record funding package from the EU strengthens its role in the European security architecture.
The allocation of funds right now is a signal of EU solidarity against the backdrop of Russian aggression and demonstrates Brussels’ willingness to invest significant resources in its own defense.
It is worth noting that this decision was made before several Russian drones flew into Poland and the latter had to send in aircraft to destroy them.
Who else will receive support
In addition to Poland, significant funding packages are provided for other countries. In particular, Romania can count on €16.7 billion, France and Hungary on €16.2 billion each, Italy on €14.9 billion, Belgium on €8.3 billion, Lithuania on €6.4 billion, Portugal on €5.8 billion, and Latvia on €5.7 billion.
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Slovakia, and Spain also participate in the program. A total of 19 countries have applied, while eight countries have abstained.
Hungary: a friend of the Kremlin, but in line for Eurodollars
Among the countries participating in the SAFE program is Hungary, which claims the third largest amount – more than €16 billion. And here a paradox arises: Budapest, which has demonstrated warm relations with Moscow for years, is willingly reaching out for money from Brussels to… “defend itself against Russia.”
It is known that the Hungarian government has previously opposed joint EU borrowing to finance defense spending. In particular, in March 2025, the Hungarian parliament adopted a resolution denying support for joint EU borrowing for defense spending, although it reaffirmed support for the EU’s common defense policy.
Given this, it can be assumed that Hungary’s participation in the SAFE program is the result of a changed government position or a compromise within the EU, where Hungary’s loyalty is simply bought.
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What about Ukraine?
At the Munich Security Conference, the United States made it clear to the European Union that Europe’s security is its own problem. After that, the rhetoric of European officials for several days was filled with loud statements that it was time for Europe to wake up and finally start taking care of its own security.
In the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, European leaders were racing to generate ideas about how they would support Ukraine and how they would help it achieve a just peace. They talked about peacekeepers (who would be in the rear), about closing the skies over Ukraine with British aircraft, about Taurus missiles, and even about the fact that a significant part of the planned 800 billion-dollar EU defense package would go to Ukraine.
A common position on peacekeepers was not reached, talks about Taurus missiles stopped, and meanwhile the EU is making decisions and taking actions that can hardly be called helping Ukraine defend Europe.
Just a few days after the Munich conference, it turned out that Belgium would hand over 30 F-16s to Ukraine not by the end of 2025, as planned and promised, but by the end of 2028. The reason was announced: The United States is delaying the delivery of F-35s, which are supposed to replace the F-16s in the Belgian military fleet. 30 F-16s is a significant number, and they could significantly improve Ukraine’s position in the sky, including a very significant boost to its air defense system. Now Ukraine cannot count on these aircraft until 2028.
The EU’s 800 billion-euro defense package approved this spring does not include anything special for Ukraine. It only mentions that Ukrainian defense companies are part of the same “pool” as European ones, which means that purchasing weapons from them is a priority along with EU companies.
Instead, during the third year of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, the EU spent more money on Russian fossil fuels than on financial assistance to Ukraine. During this time, the EU bought 21.9 billion euros worth of Russian oil and gas. This amount is one-sixth higher than the 18.7 billion euros that the EU allocated to Ukraine as financial assistance in 2024.
