The Polish head of government threatens to stop arms deliveries to Ukraine: is the ‘anti-Putin front’ now crumbling?

Morawiecki explained that Poland had greatly expanded its orders for military equipment: “If you don’t want to defend yourself, you must have something with which you can defend yourself – we are committed to this rule.” The armed forces must be modernized so that Poland will have one of the strongest land armies in Europe, Morawiecki said.

Self-protection is therefore the official reason for the delivery stop. However, several Polish news portals, including the English-language service of the state news agency PAP, interpreted Morawiecki’s statement as a signal that Poland would stop supplying weapons to Ukraine in light of the grain conflict.

However, during the TV interview there was confusion about whether Poland would actually completely stop supplying weapons to Ukraine. The Polish government left unanswered a request for clarification from the German news agency.

The grain conflict between Poland and Ukraine escalated enormously in September. Because Poland – together with Hungary and Slovakia – has imposed its own export ban on Ukrainian grain. Much to the annoyance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky (45).

There has been a crisis between the two allies for some time: the countries convened each other’s ambassadors in August. And the foreign policy adviser to Polish President Andrzej Duda (51), Marcin Przydacz (38), said on television in early August: “Ukraine should start to appreciate what Poland has done for them.”

A supply stop would be fatal. Poland is the second largest donor of arms and military equipment to Ukraine, after the United States, and the third largest donor of military aid, after the United States and the United Kingdom. Poland, which shares an eastern border with Ukraine, pledged military aid worth 2.4 billion euros last year, according to the Kiel Institute.

Poland’s announcement is bad news for Ukraine, military expert Carlo Masala, professor at the Bundeswehr University in Munich, told ‘Bild’: ‘It creates a catastrophic appearance to the outside world when one of Ukraine’s main supporting states announces this .’

So far, no other country has announced a gun ban. However, Slovakia – another key ally of Ukraine – could see its aid cut. The reason is the increasing pro-Russian mood, which is likely to have an impact on the September 30 elections.

A Globsec survey showed in June that anti-Western attitudes in Slovakia have increased the most in Europe. 76 percent are against EU sanctions against Russia, 69 percent reject military aid to Ukraine. Whether Ukraine will actually lose another ally remains to be seen.

It is Russia’s great hope: that Western unity crumbles, that cracks appear in the ‘anti-Putin front’. With the dispute between Poland and Ukraine and the cautious enthusiasm for Ukrainian concerns in the UN General Assembly, Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin (70) seems to have come a little closer to this goal.

However, the question remains whether there will actually be a rift that could benefit Russia and disadvantage Ukraine. Most Western countries still support Ukraine and have not yet announced an end to their support.