Providing aid to Ukraine is in Poland's interest, Polish FM says
Supporting Ukraine keeps Putin's army at bay from Poland's borders, which aligns with the country's broader interests, including financial considerations, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has said.
On Tuesday, Sikorski said on X: "By helping Ukraine we are keeping Putin's army away from our borders, which is in the interest, including financial, of the Polish taxpayer. Foreign policy is more difficult than a multiplication table."
His post was a reaction to far-right Confederation leader Slawomir Mentzen, who remarked on Monday that if Ukraine wanted access to Starlink, "it should cover the costs on its own."
"Polish taxpayers' money should go to the needs of Poles," Mentzen added.
Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz also criticised attempts to block support for Ukraine, asserting that denying aid to the country, which is at war, would be "against the security interests of the Polish state" and that helping Ukraine contributes to fostering a secure Poland.
In his view, by vetoing the amendment, President Nawrocki was in effect undermining Poland's state security strategy. "This issue is not about '800 Plus,' to be clear. It concerns Poland's security. '800 Plus' is only a minor aspect of this law. It could have been handled in a completely different manner, yet the president's associates present it as if it was solely this component. That is not true..." Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
The exchange came after President Karol Nawrocki vetoed a bill aimed at extending aid to Ukrainian citizens. Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said the decision jeopardised the funding for satellite internet for Ukraine, which is set to expire at the end of September.
According to Gawkowski, the president "de facto switched off the internet in Ukraine."
The vetoed bill would have prolonged temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens until March 4, 2026, clarified access to the '800 Plus' child benefit and extended procedures for temporary residence permits. It also envisaged continued support for local governments in providing education and care for Ukrainian children, while introducing safeguards against the misuse of entitlements.
Nawrocki said on Monday that the law failed to introduce necessary corrections, contending that '800 Plus' should be allocated solely to Ukrainians employed in Poland. He added that more than three years after Russia's invasion, Poland's financial and political circumstances had changed.(PAP)
mj/jch
