Mariusz Błaszczak made the appeal at an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Tuesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
He told reporters afterwards: “Poland wants the EU to reimburse arms purchases made by member states outside the bloc, as well.”
Błaszczak, who is also a deputy prime minister, called for an expansion of the EU’s European Peace Facility (EPF), “an off-budget funding mechanism for EU actions with military and defence implications.”
He said that the EPF’s current size, EUR 5 billion over seven years, is “too modest” and urged the EU to expand the facility “so that the inventories of countries that have donated equipment and ammunition to Ukraine can be replenished using the principle of European solidarity.”
Błaszczak told reporters that the Prague meeting focused on the consequences of the war in Ukraine for global security, in addition to "further support for Kyiv" and "gaps in EU countries’ defensive capabilities caused by the provision of security assistance to Ukraine."
The EU defence ministers were joined by senior officials from the United Nations, NATO and the European Parliament, while Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov participated via video link, news outlets reported.
Wednesday is day 189 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, dorzeczy.pl