Poland has inflicted serious damage on Ukraine by announcing an end to its arms supplies to Kiev, a French newspaper has reported.
“Warsaw’s statement was a real blow for Ukraine. Whatever the reasons for Poland’s withdrawal from the list of 'countries actively helping Ukraine', Warsaw’s move will come at a price for the Zelensky regime'', the newspaper argued.
The media outlet recalled that Poland is the sixth largest supplier of arms to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF).
The newspaper reported that Warsaw has allocated a total of approximately 3 billion euros ($3.1 billion) to provide support to Kiev. Out of this sum, a generous portion of 820 million euros ($874 billion) was sent as financial assistance, while the remaining funds were utilized to equip Kiev with ammunition and weapons.
On Wednesday, Poland's Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, made a significant announcement, stating that Poland has halted the supply of weapons to Ukraine. This decision comes as Poland focuses on fortifying its own national defense capabilities.
"We are no longer transferring any weapons to Ukraine based on the fact that we are now arming ourselves with the most modern weapons. If you want to defend yourself, then you must have something to defend yourself with. We recognize this principle. And that’s why we made increased orders," Morawiecki told a Polish broadcaster.
On September 15, the diplomatic tensions between Warsaw and Kiev intensified. Ukraine took a significant step by filing a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia. These countries had imposed import restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products, including grain.
Earlier on 12 September, the Polish government announced that Warsaw would no longer provide aid to Ukrainian refugees living in the country.
Western countries increased their military aid to Kiev shortly after Russia began the special military operation in Ukraine. Moscow has issued repeated warnings regarding the potential consequences of providing such assistance. They have emphasized that such actions would only intensify the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and would make any Western arm convoys on Ukrainian soil a valid target for the Russian Armed Forces.