In response to increasing regional tensions with Russia and Belarus, Poland has announced a significant increase in its military expenditures, planning to allocate 5% of its GDP to defense by 2025. This announcement was made by the Polish Foreign Minister on July 13, 2024. This strategic decision positions Poland as the leading contributor to defense spending in Europe, with NATO statistics projecting the country’s military budget to exceed 32 billion euros next year.
Since 2022, Poland has significantly boosted its defense budget, largely through the establishment of a support fund for the armed forces managed by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, valued at nearly 40 billion zlotys (about 10 billion euros). This increased funding has enabled substantial military acquisitions including Abrams and K2 tanks, F-35A fighter jets, F/A-50 light combat aircraft, HIMARS and K-9 Thunder artillery systems, Apache and AW-149 helicopters, and Arrowhead 140 frigates.
However, recent controversy arose from a leak of documents from the Polish Ministry of Defense, suggesting potential budget cuts amounting to 57 billion zlotys (13.4 billion euros) for the period 2025-28. These documents, disclosed by TV Republika and claimed to be confidential, hinted at reductions in military spending. The Polish government quickly condemned these reports as “false information” and threatened legal action to protect the ministry’s reputation and counter the spread of misinformation. Speculations also exist about foreign, particularly Russian, influences behind these leaks.