On Friday, March 13, 2026, during an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the launch of the Polska Zbrojna program (Armed Poland) in response to the announcement made the previous day during an address by the President of the Republic of Poland and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Karol Nawrocki, that he would veto the government’s bill on the SAFE Security Enhancement Financial Instrument.
Zdjęcie: Kancelaria Premiera
Prime Minister Donald Tusk had already stated on Tuesday, March 10, that “we have received information that the President has already decided to veto the SAFE bill. This is very bad news. I will ask the President whether this is indeed the case, because it would be an unforgivable mistake.” He added that regardless of the situation, we will have a plan B. “I want to assure everyone that one way or another we will find a way for the SAFE funds to reach the Polish people.” This statement came before the presentation of details of the presidential draft bill on the Polish Defense Investment Fund, implementing the concept of “Polish SAFE 0%.”
On Thursday, March 12, in an address broadcast on television and the internet at 20:00, President Karol Nawrocki announced that he would veto the government’s draft bill.
Almost immediately, the president’s decision was criticized by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
Prezydent stracił szansę, aby zachować się jak patriota. Wstyd! Jutro o 9 rano odpowiedź polskiego rządu na nadzwyczajnym posiedzeniu Rady Ministrów.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) March 12, 2026
Pan Prezydent @NawrockiKn miał niepowtarzalną okazję, by wesprzeć w znaczący sposób modernizację Wojska Polskiego. Środki z programu SAFE gwarantują wcześniejsze zakończenie bardzo ważnych etapów transformacji naszej armii i szybsze zbudowanie najsilniejszej armii w Europie.…
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) March 12, 2026
Oświadczenie po orędziu Prezydenta RP. pic.twitter.com/3mMQFZgEpa
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) March 12, 2026
Today at 09:00, an extraordinary government meeting took place, during which Prime Minister Tusk announced the Polska Zbrojna program.
“The president’s veto has not stopped us and will not stop us. We will adopt a resolution thanks to which this money will reach us. A much more serious responsibility will now fall on us – how to approve this without the law in place. I can promise Poland that today. This program will be implemented. Today very harsh words are being spoken. People in Poland are wondering whether this is betrayal, lobbying, or a lack of common sense. I will not speculate about the real reasons for the president’s negative decision. One thing must be certain: the lack of a signature is a serious obstacle for everyone who prepared this major program for a well-armed and secure Poland. Across Europe people are wondering what happened and how this was possible – only in Russian newspapers is there ‘full understanding.’ I will not insinuate anything. The facts are absolutely brutal for the president’s reputation. Our response must be constructive,” said Donald Tusk. “We will adopt a resolution under which we will implement the ‘Polska Zbrojna’ program. It will be more difficult, sometimes slower, and it will require much more effort to convince everyone involved because the relevant legal provisions will not be in place. We will have to rely on our own strength and energy – but we will do it. The resolution will allow us to launch the program. That is our response,” the Polish prime minister announced.
Weto Prezydenta nas nie zatrzyma. Program #PolskaZbrojna będzie realizowany. pic.twitter.com/sIhtGYOVZV
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) March 13, 2026
Meanwhile, in the Sejm, the Minister of National Defense delivered a statement.
NA ŻYWO | Wystąpienie Wicepremiera Władysława Kosiniaka-Kamysza w Sejmie RP https://t.co/wpV7rnm0zh
— Kancelaria Premiera (@PremierRP) March 13, 2026