Speaking in Warsaw after meeting European Union Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, Sikorski said that "readiness will deter aggression, while weakness invites it."
The meeting followed Kubilius’s presentation of the new EU defence white paper, a strategic proposal outlining increased defence spending, including EUR 150 billion in loans for military projects.
The white paper refines a previously announced initiative by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen known as SAFE (Security Action for Europe), a framework of financial instruments designed to boost the bloc’s defence capabilities through low-interest loans, financed from EU-Bond issuances.
Sikorski welcomed the white paper as "long-awaited and well received" and urged that its implementation tools must follow swiftly.
He expressed hope that Kubilius, as the official leading the process, would ensure rapid progress.
The minister described the document, along with the broader ReArm Europe plan, as a potential roadmap for EU member states to significantly increase investment in their defence sectors.
He reiterated Poland’s own efforts, noting that the country now spends almost 5 percent of its gross domestic product on defence.
Sikorski also highlighted the need to prioritise the security of EU border states most vulnerable to external threats.
He said the concept known as the Eastern Shield, focused on strengthening the European Union’s external borders, must be an integral part of the continent's new defence approach.
Kubilius added that the EU expects Poland and the Baltic states to lead the way in demonstrating how shared European interests can be developed most effectively through such joint projects.
Sikorski reaffirmed Europe’s unity in supporting Ukraine militarily and called for intensified efforts to provide key supplies such as artillery, ammunition and air defence systems.
He also backed integrating Ukraine’s defence industry into Europe’s wider industrial base, arguing that European production capacity must grow.
Addressing the current state of talks on a truce between Russia and Ukraine, Sikorski said: "Ukraine has unconditionally agreed to a ceasefire, while President Putin is presenting artificial terms."
He added that Poland hopes US allies will recognise "who wants peace and who wants war," expressing the expectation that President Donald Trump would increase pressure on Putin to agree to peace.
Sikorski insisted that "any solution must guarantee a just, lasting and stable peace for a democratic Ukraine."
He also stressed that any future presence of foreign troops on Ukrainian territory must be determined by Kyiv, not the Kremlin.
Kubilius echoed Sikorski's remarks, saying he could "sign his name" under all the points made by the Polish foreign minister.
He added that Europe must take more responsibility for its own defence and that Poland, currently holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, has a crucial leadership role in this process.
Kubilius underlined that while the white paper itself sends a strong political signal, "we cannot expect Putin to read it."
What matters, he said, is its implementation, which he described as a key responsibility for Poland’s EU presidency.
The white paper includes a draft regulation for the defence loan instrument, proposing that 65 percent of funds be spent on components sourced within the EU—an effort to grow the European defence industry.
It also proposes relaxing EU budget rules to allow more spending on defence and greater flexibility in reallocating funds within the EU budget.
Kubilius also addressed questions about satellite communications in Ukraine, following concerns about the reliability of the US-owned Starlink system.
He confirmed that transatlantic discussions had concluded with a "clear statement that Starlink will not be switched off" for Ukraine, which he called "good news."
At the same time, he noted that contingency measures are being developed, including the IRIS2 satellite system, which will become operational in 2029, and the GovSatCom system, expected to be functional by mid-2025.
GovSatCom is an EU programme consolidating member states’ assets into a unified satellite communications platform.
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Source: IAR, PAP
Click on the audio player icon above for a report by Marcin Matuszewski.