(Reuters) – Poland is exploring collaborative efforts with Britain and other European nations to enhance defence production while ensuring better value for taxpayers, Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski mentioned during an interview with the Financial Times on Thursday.
Domanski indicated that “new tools” for defence spending were part of his discussions with British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves in London on Wednesday, though he did not specify whether Ukraine was addressed in their talks.
“I have a very strong feeling that Polish and UK perspectives on defence align closely,” Domański stated, emphasizing that securing adequate defence funding remains his highest priority when engaging with fellow EU finance ministers and his British counterpart.
Poland has extended an invitation to Reeves for discussions at an upcoming meeting of European finance ministers scheduled in Warsaw next month, alongside Norway’s finance minister, Jens Stoltenberg, he noted.
Neither Downing Street nor Poland’s finance ministry responded immediately to a request for comment from Reuters.
Leading up to Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels, European Union leaders are poised to commit to enhancing the competitiveness of the bloc, aiming for increased military strength in response to U.S. tariffs and other economic adversities, as well as growing uncertainties regarding Washington’s future support for defence.
Driven by Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine three years ago, Poland currently allocates a larger percentage of its gross domestic product (GDP) towards defence than any other NATO member, including the United States.
According to NATO estimates, Poland’s defence expenditure made up 4.1% of GDP last year, with plans to reach 4.7% this year.
($1=0.9179 euros)
(Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; Editing by Tom Hogue and Clarence Fernandez)
