During a visit that included discussions with Finnish leaders, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski highlighted a shared commitment to support Ukraine and a joint contribution to a Czech-backed ammunition initiative. He underscored that both nations would play a role in boosting military aid while strengthening bilateral ties between Warsaw and Helsinki.
In Finland, the minister met with President Alexander Stubb and with Elina Valtonen, head of Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also paid a call to the staff at the Polish embassy and to representatives at the civil protection reception center, emphasizing a climate of strategic solidarity and common security interests between Poland and Finland.
Poland and Finland join the Czech ammunition initiative
Asked whether Ukraine relief was on the agenda during his Finland stop, Sikorski affirmed that it was. He stated that both Poland and Finland would contribute to the Czech ammunition project and that both nations have provided substantial bilateral military aid to Ukraine. He framed the move as a continuation of a principle: closer borders to Russia correlate with higher defense spending and a greater willingness to assist Ukraine.
When asked about Europe’s appetite to expand support for Ukraine as new approvals are sought, Sikorski noted that the Czech munitions initiative had quickly surpassed funding expectations, accelerating the flow of resources for missiles beyond initial projections.
He referred to recent remarks by the Czech President, Petr Pavel, about the amount required for procurements of artillery ammunition totaling PLN 800,000 pieces, to be purchased from suppliers outside the European Union. The Czech-led effort aims to extend support to an additional 18 countries, with ammunition deliveries anticipated in the coming weeks. Pavel indicated that partners would be informed of the next steps in due course.
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European Peace Fund and broader European defense support
The Polish foreign minister described hopeful developments regarding the European Peace Fund, the EU’s defense budget, saying there is good news, albeit unconfirmed at the moment, about this financing mechanism. He suggested that five billion euros could be approved this year, with possibilities to reimburse countries for deliveries and to purchase additional ammunition and equipment from the fund.
He added that other European initiatives are also being explored to bolster Ukraine’s defense needs. When asked about Germany potentially supplying Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, Sikorski indicated that this topic would be part of Friday’s Weimar Triangle discussions and praised the format for widening participation at the highest levels of government. This, he argued, signals Poland’s return to influential EU decision-making circles.
On Friday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk planned to travel to Berlin to participate in the Weimar Triangle talks alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The summit had been convened after a meeting with the U.S. president, underscoring a broader transitional moment in European security coordination.
In response to questions about Russia’s forthcoming elections, Sikorski offered a candid assessment: while the winner was uncertain, a clear outcome in the presidency appeared likely, reflecting the political dynamics at play in the region.
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