East Front News #34: MoD Comments on Abrams for Poland, European Defence Funding Support

Polish MoD Comments on Additional Abrams Tanks

The Polish Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated in response to questions from Defence24.pl that „no actions are currently being taken regarding the procurement of additional Abrams tanks for the Polish Armed Forces.”

Poland has ordered a total of 366 Abrams tanks through government-to-government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreements in 2022 (250 tanks in the M1A2 SEPv3 version) and 2023 (116 tanks in the M1A1 version). Both agreements also included operational support, ammunition, and technical support vehicles. The tanks from the second contract have already been delivered, and deliveries of the new version of the Abrams have also begun. Abrams tank will go to 18th Mechanized Divisions, while other formations will receive Korean K2/K2PL tanks. 98 of K2s 180 ordered in 2022 have already been delivered, and a second agreement for K2/K2PL MBTs, along with supporting vehicles and technology transfer, is being negotiated.

Deputy Minister of National Defence in Italy. Small Submarines At Stake

Visit of Deputy Minister of Defence Paweł Bejda in Italy. The goal was to intensify Polish–Italian cooperation in the defence sector as well as to support Polish defence companies in the Italian market.

The Ministry of National Defence representative was present in Bergamo at the facilities of the Italian company M23 S.R.L., which specializes in the production of small submarines of the C series, MIDGET class. The company collaborates in this area with the shipbuilding conglomerate Giunio Santi Engineering (GSE Trieste).

The second day of the Ministry of National Defence delegation’s stay in Italy included a visit to the Muggiano shipyard, owned by Fincantieri, near the city of La Spezia. At that facility, all Todaro-type submarines in service with the Marina Militare were built – the licensed variant of the German Type 212A. It is also where the modernized Type 212 NFS submarines, ordered by Italy, are being built.

„Support Ukraine" Summit

The summit organized in Kyiv on February 24, 2025 was an opportunity to demonstrate the continued support of the European Union and NATO countries for Ukraine in the era of ambiguous declarations of the Donald Trump administration, which is trying to force Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelensky to make economic and political concessions during the negotiations. 

In addition to the symbolic aspect of the Summit, promises of military aid were also an important element of the meeting. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the transfer of 25 LAV III wheeled armoured personnel carriers and simulators for the F-16. European leaders were also active in the field of military support packages. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez promised to provide military aid worth 1 billion euros in 2025. In turn, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen emphasized that Ukraine will receive 7 F-16 fighters in 2025. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson promised to provide Kiev with an unspecified number of portable RBS 70 missile systems and 40 mm Tridon Mk2 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns worth 113 million dollars. 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK would provide Ukraine with a £4.5bn military aid package. London also announced the largest sanctions package against Russia from 2022, including targeting 40 shadow fleet ships carrying Russian oil. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said Oslo would provide Ukraine with €1bn in humanitarian and civilian aid, as well as €300m to support the energy sector. In total, Norway is to provide €3.5bn to support Ukraine this year. 

European Defence Funding Support

The European Commission has presented its position on the proposal to allocate unused funds from the National Recovery Plans (NRP) for defence purposes. In response to reports, EC spokesperson Maciej Berestecki clarified that member states had the opportunity to apply for loans from the Recovery and Resilience Facility until August 2023. Out of the available €291 billion, €93 billion was not requested. However, these unused funds are not currently available for other purposes, as they were not raised by the Commission on financial markets. 

In practice, this means that there is currently no additional pool of funds that could be allocated to defence financing. Any changes in this regard would require new political decisions and likely the unanimous approval of all member states, which could be difficult to achieve.  

The Commission plans to publish a White Paper in March outlining possible ways to support defence financing in member states. 

Countries like Poland advocate not only for the ability to increase defence spending from their own budgets but also for the mobilization of European funds to develop defence capabilities and the arms industry. Proposed solutions include the issuance of Eurobonds for defence purposes and the use of unused NRP funds. However, implementing these proposals would require broad political consensus within the European Union. 

The Seven of the Polish Armed Forces: A Bold Vision for 2025-2039

 At the Territorial Defence Forces Command, Poland’s top military and government officials convened to shape the future of the nation’s armed forces. The high-level meeting, attended by President Andrzej Duda, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and Chief of the General Staff General Wiesław Kukuła, focused on modernising Poland’s military capabilities. General Kukuła unveiled the „Great Seven” initiative an ambitious modernisation strategy for 2025-2039. This comprehensive plan aims to merge quantity with quality, integrate multi-domain warfare, and reinforce Poland’s defensive and offensive capabilities through cutting-edge technologies such as AI, drones, and next-generation precision strike systems. 

A key element of this strategy is strengthening deterrence with deep precision strikes while enhancing missile, air, and drone defences to safeguard critical infrastructure. Addressing demographic challenges, a next-generation reserve force is also being developed to maintain long-term military readiness. Simultaneously, automation, robotics, and AI-powered decision-making will transform battlefield operations, improving efficiency and strategic response times. However, the success of this transformation depends on significant investment, a clear implementation roadmap, and close collaboration with NATO allies to ensure technological interoperability. With this bold vision, Poland is on track to become one of the most advanced military powers in the region, setting new standards for modern warfare. 

The „The Great Seven” priorities for Poland’s Armed Forces: 

1. Smart Mass – Merging quantity with quality for operational dominance. 
2. Multi-Domain Operations – Integrating physical, informational, and cognitive warfare. 
3. Air Dominance & Deep Precision Strikes – Deterrence through punitive capabilities. 
4. Air, Missile & Drone Defence – Protecting forces, infrastructure, and civilian assets. 
5. Next-Gen Reserve Forces – A modern training system to address demographic challenges. 
6. Drone & Robotics Revolution – Enhancing efficiency, reducing costs & casualties. 
7. AI-Powered Decision Making – Real-time data analysis for superior command & control. 

3 years of war: how France supports Ukraine

France has become increasingly active in its response to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Initially hesitant due to concerns over escalating the conflict, Paris has now ramped up both military and diplomatic support. Over the past three years, France has supplied weapons, reinforced European security initiatives, and played a key role in shaping NATO’s stance on the war. President Macron, once cautious, is now taking a bold approach, even advocating for the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine. As the war continues, France’s involvement is becoming more decisive.

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East Front News is a weekly newsletter and article on Defence24.com summarizing the past week’s most important events concerning security and the situation in the Central and Eastern Europe region. It includes original opinions and comments, along with key news items significant from a Polish perspective.

Aleksander Olech, PhD & Jakub Palowski, Deputy Ed. in Chief, Michał Górski