On Monday, January 26, 2026, the European Commission issued a positive opinion on Poland’s applications for financing 139 defense-related projects worth 43.7 billion EUR under the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) loan program. In addition to Poland, which submitted its applications on November 29 last year, Estonia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Finland also received the green light.
Image: Ministry Of National Defence
“The European Commission has issued a positive opinion on the documents submitted by Poland concerning the acquisition of funds from the SAFE program! We are getting closer to receiving nearly 44 billion EUR, which will be allocated to further investments in Poland’s security. The next steps are an implementing decision by the Council of the European Union and the final signing of the agreements,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
“There is a decision. The European Commission has approved Poland’s SAFE plan – nearly 44 billion EUR for defense. This is what real alliances look like,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on social media.
“WE’VE GOT IT! The European Commission has positively assessed Poland’s documents for the SAFE program. We are getting closer to nearly 44 billion EUR for Poland’s security. What’s more, most of the funds will support the development of the Polish defense industry. Now it’s the Council of the European Union’s decision and the final signature,” we read on the profile of Paweł Bejda, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defence responsible for overseeing the technical modernization of the Polish Armed Forces.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! The European Commission has given the green light to Poland’s plan for spending defense funds under the SAFE program. As a result, Poland will gain access to nearly 44 billion EUR, which will be allocated to the modernization of the armed forces, the defense industry, and national security,” added another Deputy Minister of National Defence, Cezary Tomczyk.
The total value of the approved applications for the eight countries mentioned above under the second tranche amounts to 74 billion EUR. The first eight countries received the green light on January 15 this year: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, and Romania, with the combined value of their applications totaling 38 billion EUR (SAFE defense funding program attracts strong EU interest, second edition possible).
In total, 19 countries have applied to participate in the SAFE program. France, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are still awaiting decisions, while 38 billion EUR remains available for allocation (out of a total budget of approximately 150 billion EUR, 112 billion EUR has been approved so far).
As for the Polish applications, a decisive role in drawing up the list was played by the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces. Although the Ministry of National Defence has not yet published a detailed list of projects, it is known that a significant number are part of the National Deterrence and Defence Program – East Shield, the introduction of drone and counter-drone systems, and support for the new EU initiative Eastern Flank Watch, described as a “drone wall.” Support is also expected to cover activities related to artificial intelligence, cryptography, cryptology, cyberspace, and the protection of critical infrastructure.
The Ministry of National Defence emphasizes that approximately 89% of the funds may be invested in the Polish defense industry, and that a reserve pool of around €20 billion has been maintained. In addition, purchases of multi-role aerial refueling aircraft (code-named Karkonosze) and transport aircraft (code-named Drop) are planned.
According to information from the European Commission dated May 27, 2025, when the program was approved, loans under SAFE are low-interest, with a repayment period of up to 45 years and a 10-year grace period (interest payments begin earlier, but principal repayment starts only after 10 years).
Following the completion of the European Commission’s assessment, the Council of the European Union now has four weeks to adopt the implementing decisions. Once approved, the Commission will finalize the loan agreements, and the first payments are expected to be made in March 2026.
‼️‼️Komisja Europejska pozytywnie zaopiniowała dokumenty złożone przez Polskę, które dotyczą pozyskania funduszy z programu SAFE!
Jesteśmy coraz bliżej otrzymania prawie 44 mld euro, które będą przeznaczone na kolejne inwestycje w bezpieczeństwo Polski.Przed nami decyzja… pic.twitter.com/x10ds7krPt
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) January 26, 2026
Jest decyzja. Komisja Europejska zatwierdziła polski plan SAFE – prawie 44 mld euro na obronność. Tak wyglądają prawdziwe sojusze.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) January 26, 2026
🚨 MAMY TO! Komisja Europejska pozytywnie oceniła polskie dokumenty do programu #SAFE ✅ Jesteśmy coraz bliżej blisko 44 mld € na bezpieczeństwo 🇵🇱. Co więcej, większość środków wesprze rozwój polskiego przemysłu obronnego 💪 Teraz decyzja Rady Europejskiej i finalne podpisy…
— Paweł Bejda (@pawelbejda) January 26, 2026
Tak! Tak! Tak! Komisja Europejska dała zielone światło polskiemu planowi wydatkowania środków na obronność z programu SAFE.
Dzięki temu Polska zyska dostęp do blisko 44 mld euro, które trafią na modernizację wojska, przemysł obronny i bezpieczeństwo państwa.— Cezary Tomczyk (@CTomczyk) January 26, 2026