Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has defended Warsaw’s funding of Starlink satellite internet for Ukraine, calling it “one of the best investments we have made to support Ukraine and strengthen Poland’s influence.”
He made the statement after Wednesday’s Cabinet Council meeting – the first under President Karol Nawrocki, Ukrinform reports, citing Polskie Radio.
Sikorski said he was “shocked” that anyone would obstruct such an effective program, referring to Nawrocki’s veto of a bill extending benefits for Ukrainian refugees.
“It is in Poland’s strategic interest to influence both Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and the outcome of this war,” he told reporters.
Polish Defense Minister Władyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz echoed Sikorski’s concerns, stressing the veto was not about welfare benefits such as the “800 plus” child allowance but about national security.
“Every day the Ukrainian army wears down Russia’s forces, reducing the danger for us. The farther Russian troops are from Poland’s border, the safer we are,” he said.
The president’s veto halts automatic extensions of legal stay for Ukrainians beyond 30 September, raising fears of disruption for hundreds of thousands of workers.
Employers’ groups have warned of labor shortages, while ministers cautioned the move could also cut Ukraine off from Starlink access provided by Poland.
On August 25, Nawrocki announced he had rejected amendments to the law on aid for Ukrainian citizens. The bill would have extended social benefits for refugees until March 2026.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized the veto but lacks the two-thirds parliamentary majority needed to override it.
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Source: Sikorski says Poland's Starlink funding among 'best money spent' on Ukraine
