“Poland’s security must not depend on foreign decisions,” said Nawrocki, justifying his move. “Only a people who manage to take care of their own security will remain truly free.”

As part of the Safe program, the EU is providing 150 billion euros in cheap loans to expand the defense capabilities of its members. Poland should be the biggest beneficiary with almost 44 billion euros. At the end of February, parliament approved the law implementing the EU program with the votes of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s center-left coalition. At the time, Tusk emphasized that more than 80 percent of the money would be invested in orders for Polish defense companies, and that 12,000 local companies would benefit from it.

But Nawrocki, who was critical of Europe, was skeptical from the start. “The president has missed an opportunity to behave like a patriot,” said Tusk, commenting on the veto on X. He called an extraordinary government meeting for Friday morning.

Poland’s rights: “Don’t want to fall under the German boots”

The dispute is indicative of the position in Warsaw since Nawrocki’s election in 2025. Since then, the important EU and NATO state has no longer spoken with one voice on strategic issues. The president and head of government Tusk, who are supported by the right-wing conservative opposition party PiS, come from hostile political camps.

For weeks, the powerful PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski has been campaigning against the Safe program and spreading an anti-German narrative. Accordingly, the EU arms program is part of a plan to bring the EU closer together under German dominance. Kaczynski claimed that German defense companies should primarily benefit. “We are being beaten into Poland under German boots forward, and we reject this German boot.”

Nawrocki presents an alternative program

In order to be able to reject EU loans but still invest in Poland’s rearmament, Nawrocki recently presented an alternative plan called “Safe 0 percent” together with National Bank boss Adam Glapinski. It stipulates that an armaments program of somewhat the same size should be financed interest-free from the National Bank’s foreign exchange and gold reserves. Details remain unclear, and financial experts warn about the risks.

“This project means a strong army without debt for generations,” Nawrocki said in his speech. He appealed to all political forces to support this plan. To implement it, however, it needs the approval of Tusk’s government. And he has already made it clear that he will not grant this.

The Safe 2025 loan program is intended to give EU states more resources for arms purchases against a more aggressive Russia. According to plans by the Ministry of Defense, Poland wants to do this Defensive weapons against drones and missiles, helicopters and boats. Germany does not use EU loans, but relies on its own resources.