Warsaw should extend a loan to Kyiv for the purchase of Polish defense industry products, as cooperation in the defense sector is crucial to strengthening Ukraine–Poland relations.
This was stated by Polish expert and former Minister of National Defense Janusz Onyszkiewicz in a comment to Ukrinform, responding to reports about Ukraine’s request for a loan from Poland to acquire weapons.
“I have no doubt that Poland should provide this loan. I hope it will happen,” Onyszkiewicz emphasized.
The expert described it as a positive signal that Ukrainian troops have a high opinion of Polish-made defense equipment used in combat.
“Overall, cooperation between the defense industries of Ukraine and Poland is of fundamental importance for the security of both our countries,” he added.
Onyszkiewicz expressed optimism that ongoing discussions between the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) and other Polish defense enterprises, and their Ukrainian counterparts, would pave the way for “very close and effective cooperation.” He noted that this partnership would likely benefit from substantial European funding earmarked for the development of the EU defense industry.
Among the most promising areas of collaboration, the former minister highlighted the joint production of combat drones.
“Ukraine is the undisputed leader in this field, with best experience. Poland also possesses significant potential and a wealth of diverse expertise. Drones are the future of warfare,” emphasized the former Polish minister.
He also named ammunition production as a promising area for collaboration, expressing hope that joint ventures would be established. For security reasons, he believes such facilities should be based in Poland.
At the same time, Onyszkiewicz acknowledged that Poland is unable to supply Ukraine with long- or medium-range air defense systems due to its own limitations. However, he noted that Poland can provide short-range weapons, including the Piorun man-portable air defense systems.
“There is significant opportunity for the Polish defense industry to expand its role—especially given that Poland alone cannot produce the required volume of systems for both Polish and Ukrainian needs quickly and at scale. That’s why Ukraine’s involvement is essential,” the expert stated.
As reported by Ukrinform, Kyiv has requested a EUR 120 million loan from Warsaw to purchase equipment from the Polish defense sector. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasized that Polish weapons—such as the Piorun man-portable air defense system and Krab self-propelled tracked gun-howitzer —have proven highly effective on the battlefield, and Ukraine is ready to acquire more.
First photo: charter97.org
Source: Poland’s ex-defense chief outlines promising areas of cooperation with Ukraine’s defense industry
