Poland's Tusk vows to secure 44B euros in EU defense loans despite president's veto

Poland’s government is scrambling to keep access to major EU defense loans after the president blocked the law allowing the country to access the funds

WARSAW, Poland -- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised Friday to find ways to tap into 44 billion euros in defense loans from the European Union, after Poland's president vetoed a law enabling the country to access the funds.

Poland was set to be the largest beneficiary of the 150 billion-euro EU loan program dubbed SAFE, or Security Action for Europe, meant to boost Europe's defense readiness at a time when the U.S. has been diminishing its role in the continent’s security.

But President Karol Nawrocki, who has positioned himself as a main opponent of Tusk, said Thursday he is vetoing the legislation allowing Poland to access the EU defense loans.

“Poland is in shock,” Tusk said Friday. “People are wondering if this is betrayal, the work of lobbyists, or lack of common sense.”

Successive Polish governments have boosted the country's defense spending since Russia’s full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022. But while the liberal government led by Tusk wants to coordinate efforts with the European Union, the nationalist president has proven more euro-skeptic and maintained a friendlier rapport with the Trump administration.