Poland stops weapons supply to Ukraine following diplomatic dispute

Europe, News September 24, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Poland’s administration has announced that it would not supply any more weapons to its warring neighbors following the diplomatic dispute between Warsaw and Kyiv. The spat comes after Poland, along with Hungary and Slovakia, banned Ukrainian grain supplies to support the local farmers, a move that Kyiv criticized.

Poland has been one of the most vocal supporters and staunch Ukrainian allies since the start of the conflict. Warsaw has been supporting Ukraine with weapons and humanitarian aid while urging other Western nations to support Kyiv in its war against Russia. Poland has already sent Ukraine 320 Soviet-era tanks and 14 MiG-29 fighter jets as well as other small-scale weapons.

The relationship between the two countries has gone downhill in the past few weeks following Russia’s pullout from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Since the fall of the Black Sea grain deal, Ukraine has been sending its grains through land routes to the neighboring European states of Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland.

All three countries have imposed bans on Ukrainian grains to protect their own farmers. Despite the ban, the three countries continue to allow grain to be transported through them to other European markets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired back at his allies in a veiled criticism during the United Nations General Assembly speech. Zelenskyy said that dispute was “political theater” and that “some of our friends in Europe” have “made a thriller from the grain.”

Warsaw immediately condemned Zelenskyy’s comments at the UNGA and its foreign ministry summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to convey its “strong protest.” Hours later, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki made a blunt social media statement saying that his country would “no longer transfer weapons to Ukraine because we are now arming Poland.”

*^{Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. (Image Credit: Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland/Twitter)}*

Poland’s Prime Minister Morawiecki said that he has told Volodymyr Zelenskyy never to “insult Poles again.” The Polish prime minister added, “The Polish people will never allow this to happen, and defending the good name of Poland is not only my duty and honor but also the most important task of the Polish government.”

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda also said that Poland would not be sending any weapons to Ukraine. He said it was only new Polish weapons that would not be sent.

A Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller later clarified on the situation that previously agreed deliveries of ammunition and armaments would be delivered, including those from contracts signed with Ukraine. This means that the arms exports to Ukraine will not stop completely as Polish manufacturer PGZ is due to send about 60 Krab artillery weapons in the coming months.

Poland shares borders not just with Ukraine and Belarus, but also with Russia’s semi-exclave of Kaliningrad. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Warsaw has ramped up its military acquisitions while supplying crucial weapons to Ukraine for its defense. Poland has also signed multi-billion dollar deals with the U.S., South Korea, and other countries to acquire new tanks, missiles, and fighter jets.

Destroyed Russian T-72 tank — *^{A destroyed Russian T-72 is pictured at the Castle Square in Warsaw, Poland on July 01, 2022. (Image Credit: Anadolu Agency/via Twitter)}*

Poland has been one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine against Moscow’s invasion and welcomed more than 1.5 million refugees from Ukraine following the war. Warsaw also created a tank coalition and actively participated in arranging fighter jets for Ukraine. Poland has also provided Ukraine with missiles, drones, tanks, ammunition, and humanitarian aid while calling for additional international sanctions against Russia.