The Polish authorities have announced that they will provide Ukraine with the weapons that were already promised, amidst a growing public dispute between Kyiv and one of its strongest allies. This dispute comes at a time when the ruling party in Warsaw is facing competition from a far-right party ahead of a national election.
The statement was made following the country’s prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, stating in an interview that Poland is no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine as they are now arming themselves with more modern weapons. However, Morawiecki also emphasized that they will not risk Ukraine’s security and that a vital transit hub for Western weapons in the Polish city of Rzeszow will continue to play its role.
The extent of Poland’s remaining weaponry to offer and the consequences of this decision are not immediately clear. However, these public comments have the potential to fracture Europe’s support for Ukraine as it faces another winter of fighting.
Poland has been Ukraine’s most vocal supporter in the European Union since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It has provided logistics bases for weapons supplies, accommodated over 1.7 million Ukrainian refugees, and advocated for financial and military support to Kyiv.
However, the narrative of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party has shifted in recent months. Last week, Warsaw defied a decision by Brussels to lift a temporary ban on Ukrainian agricultural imports. Morawiecki’s remarks seem to be part of an effort by the governing party to reassure voters that it will prioritize Polish citizens’ interests, particularly farmers who are unhappy with low prices for their produce due to cheap Ukrainian grain imports. The party is facing competition from the far-right Konfederacja, which advocates for reducing Poland’s assistance to Ukraine.
Poland has already supplied Ukraine with Soviet-era tanks, armored personnel carriers, and MiG-29 fighter jets. These transfers have depleted Poland’s stock of Soviet-designed weaponry, which is easier to dispose of compared to the modern Western-made arms that Poland aspires to possess as the dominant military power on NATO’s eastern flank.
While there have been no changes in Poland’s policy towards Ukraine so far, Morawiecki’s comments highlight the government’s delicate position as it seeks votes before the upcoming election in October. This situation threatens to deepen the public disagreement between Warsaw and Kyiv.
The government’s spokesman, Piotr Mueller, stated in an interview on Thursday that Poland only carries out previously agreed supplies of ammunition and…
2023-09-21 10:28:28
Link from www.nytimes.com
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