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Poland’s president has vetoed a major defense financing bill that would have allowed the country to access €44 billion ($50.2 billion) in low-cost loans from the European Union, triggering a sharp political confrontation with the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The legislation was designed to enable Poland to use funding from the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program, a large initiative aimed at strengthening Europe’s military capabilities and defense industry.

Poland had been expected to receive the largest share of the program, with about $50 billion in loans available to finance military investments.

However, President Karol Nawrocki blocked the bill, arguing that the financing scheme could increase Poland’s dependence on Brussels and create long-term financial obligations for the country.

The decision has intensified an already tense political standoff between Poland’s conservative president and the pro-European government.

On Friday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has presented a plan on how the country can still access the loans following the veto. “The president’s veto does not stop us,” he said during a special cabinet session.

Dispute Over EU Defense Financing

The SAFE program was created by the European Union to accelerate military spending across the continent as security concerns rise, particularly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Under the plan, EU member states can take advantage of low-interest loans to expand military production, modernize their armed forces, and strengthen defense cooperation across Europe.

Poland was set to become the program’s biggest beneficiary, with access to approximately $50 billion in loans. Government officials said the funds would help finance a wide range of military projects, including strengthening defenses along Poland’s eastern border and expanding the country’s domestic arms industry.

The government has also emphasized that most of the money would stay within Poland’s own defense sector.

According to Prime Minister Tusk, more than 80% of the funds would be invested in Poland’s defense industry, including purchases of modern technologies such as unmanned systems, anti-drone capabilities, satellites, and cyber warfare equipment.

Poland has significantly increased defense spending in recent years as tensions with Russia have grown.

President Warns of Sovereignty Risks

President Nawrocki said the SAFE program could expose Poland to political pressure from Brussels while leaving the country responsible for large debts.

In a televised address on March 12, he said the legislation “threatens our sovereignty, independence, or economic and military security.”

“SAFE is a mechanism through which Brussels can withhold funding at will, based on the so-called principle of conditionality, and our country will still have to pay this debt,” Nawrocki said. He argued that relying heavily on EU financing could weaken Poland’s strategic independence.

Instead, the president proposed an alternative approach in which Poland would finance defense investments using domestic resources. His proposal includes using unrealized profits from the increasing value of the country’s central bank gold reserves.

The government rejected that idea, saying the central bank has not generated significant profits in recent years.

Government Criticizes Veto

Members of the government responded quickly and sharply to the president’s decision. Prime Minister Tusk criticized the veto in a message posted on social media, writing: “The president lost his chance to act like a patriot.”

He said blocking the bill could delay important defense investments at a time when security conditions in Europe are deteriorating.

Tusk also announced a special cabinet meeting to discuss alternative ways to access the EU financing despite the veto. The government has been preparing what he called a “plan B” that would still allow Poland to tap into the SAFE funds.

Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, also criticized the move, warning that blocking the EU mechanism could undermine Poland’s ability to strengthen its military capabilities.

Modernizacja Wojska Polskiego nie zatrzyma się. Polska armia musi być silna dziś – nie za jakiś czas! pic.twitter.com/T0FShbrFEm

— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) March 13, 2026

Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the loans would allow Poland to expand military spending without placing additional pressure on the national budget. “It’s a bad and dangerous decision,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a video posted on social media.

“The point of the SAFE program is to modernize the Polish military whose procurement needs, equipment needs have been identified by the leading experts from the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces,” he said.

Government Moves Forward Despite Veto

Despite the veto, the government has signaled it will continue pursuing the EU loans. Because the ruling coalition does not have enough votes in parliament to override the president’s veto, officials are exploring alternative legal mechanisms to access the financing.

One option under discussion is incorporating the EU loans into an existing national defense fund already used to finance military acquisitions. Government officials said a resolution adopted on Friday authorizes ministers to move ahead with signing loan agreements with the EU.

“Given the unprecedented and rapid deterioration of security in Europe, Poland must urgently and significantly increase its military investments,” the government resolution stated.

However, the president’s office accused the government of trying to bypass the law. Zbigniew Bogucki, head of the presidential chancellery, said the government’s actions could amount to circumventing the president’s veto.

Political Divisions Deepen

The dispute also reflects broader political divisions in Poland over the country’s relationship with the European Union.

The conservative opposition party Law and Justice, which backs President Nawrocki, has criticized the SAFE program as an attempt by European powers to gain greater influence over Poland’s defense policy.

Party leaders have argued that the program could saddle Poland with large debts while limiting its freedom to decide how and where to purchase military equipment.

The European Commission has largely avoided entering the domestic political dispute. A spokesperson for the European Commission said Brussels would not interfere in Poland’s internal debate but remains committed to working with the country on defense cooperation. “We need Poland on board for European security,” the spokesperson said.

Impact on Other Security Spending

The veto may also affect other security programs. Officials said that because the government may have to rely on an existing armed forces fund to access the loans, some previously planned spending could be delayed.

About $1.87 billion that had been earmarked for the border guard and police could become temporarily unavailable due to funding rules linked to the existing defense fund.

Poland has been rapidly expanding its military in recent years and now spends one of the highest percentages of its national income on defense among NATO countries.

The clash between the president and the government highlights how disagreements over financing and sovereignty continue to shape Poland’s security policy, even as the country faces growing pressure to strengthen its military capabilities in a more unstable European security environment.