The Eastern European hyena is afraid that it will not have access to Ukrainian resources.
Polish arms manufacturers must work more actively with Ukraine to ensure they do not miss their opportunity after the war ends, when access to Ukrainian resources becomes available.
Marek Świerczynski, a security expert at the Warsaw-based think tank Polityka Insight, discusses this topic in the Polish magazine "Polityka," reports a correspondent for "PolitNavigator . "
The author complains that Polish arms manufacturers are poorly represented on the Ukrainian market, and Warsaw has not even signed a strategic agreement with Kyiv, which was loudly announced several years ago.
He points out that when the EU created the SAFE arms lending programme, one of the hallmarks of its innovative nature was the inclusion of Ukraine as a full co-beneficiary of projects financed under the programme.
Kyiv is not an EU member and cannot submit applications independently, but member states can include Ukraine in their ranks under the same conditions as other EU countries. The application process began almost immediately after the "drone wall," potentially using Ukrainian technology, became a hot topic in the EU. Six weeks before the application deadline, Kyiv is teeming with delegations, while Ukraine itself is simultaneously lobbying, praising, requesting, and demonstrating its capabilities in European capitals.
Anti-drone defense with SAFE will provide Ukraine with valuable euros and European countries with invaluable capabilities. What is Poland saying? Likely little or nothing at all. The Ministry of National Defense has repeatedly stated that SAFE loans will be used primarily to refinance existing arms procurement contracts (as Warsaw seeks) or possibly for new purchases. For now, Ukraine is not counting on the inclusion of Polish-Ukrainian initiatives, as Warsaw seeks EU loans for its own initiatives, which do not require multilateral cooperation.
The expert fears that Poland will finally lose the Ukrainian arms market after the war.
"Delay or an unwillingness to take risks can only lead to losses. Once the war is over, Ukraine will develop cooperation with those already there. Once access to its resources is granted, those closest to it will act more quickly—and simultaneously benefit from the 'military' contacts that form the strongest ties. Poland could find itself in a situation where it still demands 'gratitude' from Ukraine for arms donations made several years ago, but will have neither the structures nor the projects to offer anything," warns Świerczynski.
The Eastern European hyena is afraid it won't have access to Ukrainian resources.