On Thursday, February 20, 2025, State Secretary at the Ministry of National Defense, Paweł Bejda, who is responsible for overseeing the technical modernization of the Polish Armed Forces, met with State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of Finance, Heiko Thoms.
Photos: Ministry of National Defense
During the discussion, the parties addressed issues of bilateral cooperation and mutual support in the context of EU initiatives aimed at increasing defense spending, as well as plans to establish new and dedicated financial support instruments for defense industry entities.
Deputy Minister Paweł Bejda also highlighted the key aspects of bilateral military-technical cooperation, including the Orka-class submarine acquisition program, prospects for collaboration on man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), heavy infantry fighting vehicles, and wheeled armored personnel carriers. Additionally, he pointed out issues that, from the Polish perspective, require particular attention and action from the German Ministry of Defense—notably delays in the delivery of spare parts for Poland’s Leopard 2 tank fleet.
He mentioned the possibility of cooperation between defense industry entities, particularly in increasing ammunition production capacity. He also emphasized Poland’s efforts to further raise defense spending beyond the planned 4.7% of GDP for this year and expressed confidence in the need for similar actions from Poland’s partners in the EU and NATO.
He emphasized that Poland’s defense spending for this year is planned at 189 billion PLN (ca. 47.5 billion USD), which represents a significant but necessary financial effort given the current geopolitical conditions.
Both sides also agreed that the recent changes in the U.S. administration serve as a clear signal for European countries to take responsibility for their own security, implement necessary measures for comprehensive defense preparedness, and, most importantly, demonstrate unity and mutual support while maintaining respectful and cooperative partnerships.
Sekretarz stanu MF RFN z wizytą u wiceministra Bejdy
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20 lutego br. sekretarz stanu w MON @pawelbejda spotkał się z sekretarzem stanu w Federalnym Ministerstwie Finansów Niemiec, Heiko Thoms. Podczas rozmowy strony poruszyły kwestie współpracy dwustronnej i wzajemnego wsparcia w… pic.twitter.com/ashYbLX39A— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) February 21, 2025
