– specified debates are crucial due to the fact that it is crucial to keep in head the importance of European solidarity, for example in terms of defence backing from the EU budget of individual associate States, building resilience and supporting the defence industry.
This is possible thanks to the SAFE programme, which was created on the initiative of Poland during the Polish Presidency – emphasises Krzysztof Hetman, a Euro MP from the Polish People's Party.
Polish MEPs stress that political solidarity is not only necessary
The breach of Polish airspace by Russian drones revealed the serious challenges facing the east flank of NATO and the EU. Polish Euro MPs emphasise that not only political solidarity is needed, but besides real investment in air defence and expanding the presence of allied troops, especially in the face of Russia's expanding hybrid efforts. The debate in the European Parliament besides highlighted the request for further sanctions on Russia.
On the night of Tuesday on Wednesday, the Polish airspace violated 19 Russian drones flying from Ukraine and Belarus. Those that posed a direct threat were shot down. On Thursday, a debate was held in the European Parliament – at the request of Polish MEPs – concerning these unprecedented events. In addition to emphasizing the solidarity of the EU and NATO countries in relation to Russia's actions, there were besides demands for further sanctions on aggressors, in peculiar the complete abandonment of natural materials from this direction. There were besides calls for stronger support for the fighting Ukraine, but besides for moving distant from unfavourable to European agriculture and EU regulation industry. Polish MEPs argue that political declarations and gestures of solidarity are important, but they must go hand in hand with concrete actions.
Europe should finance defence needs from frozen and seized Russian assets
SAFE (Supporting Ammunition and Firearms for Europe) provides for support in the form of loans to the arms manufacture in the associate States. According to European Commission data, Poland can number at EUR 43.7 billion from the full amount of 150 billion under the programme. As a result, home arms companies have a chance to increase the production of ammunition, armored vehicles or air defence systems, which straight strengthens the capabilities of the army. However, during the EP debate there were arguments that alternatively of borrowing, Europe should finance defence needs from frozen and seized Russian assets.
– Our safety must be built on 2 pillars: firstly, our transatlantic partnership with the United States within the North Atlantic Alliance, and the second pillar is the EU, namely solidarity, EU unity, joint building of safety and resilience to specified threats as unfortunately we are already facing as Poland directly, namely provocations, attacks from the Russian Federation," says Krzysztof Hetman.
Immediately after the drone incident, president Nawrocki and Donald Trump had a conversation.
In the context of the transatlantic partnership, attention is paid to the restrained consequence of US president Donald Trump to events in Poland. Arkadiusz Mularczyk, a Euro MP from the PiS, points out that immediately after the drone incident, president Nawrocki had a conversation with Donald Trump, and she was the key 1 in this context.
– president Trump tries to end this conflict, tries not to escalate these relations with Russia, with Putin, due to the fact that he wants to end the war conflict and makes specified attempts. These are attempts, as we see, ineffective, but they are taken by Trump, and it is not possible to criticize Trump for wanting to end the war in various ways, a request or a threat. It is hard to blame Trump for taking specified action, and he promised it both in the election run and later during his presidency. Trump, on the another hand, is facing Russia's action, which is simply aggressive, hostile to not only Ukraine, but besides to NATO associate States – he assesses the Euro MP of the Law and Justice.
Increasing NATO troops, especially American troops, is advisable here
Russia has been applying a wide scope of hybrid activities to NATO countries for years: cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns, sabotage of critical infrastructure, arson or provocations in airspace. In the opinion of the Euro MPs, this "grey area" of activities below the war threshold is 1 of the biggest challenges to Europe's security. Today, war is mostly psychological, and the fearlessness is of peculiar importance.
– As a deterrent, I believe that an increase in NATO's troops, especially American troops, is desirable here. The greater the presence of components of Natovian but besides American troops, the greater the component of deterrence and safety for Poland – convinces Arkadiusz Mularczyk.
