Poland will receive nearly EUR 44 billion – the largest share of the EU programme – for defence investments, a sum exceeding Spain's or Italy's entire defence budgets.
The funds will finance domestic military equipment, including Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles manufactured by Huta Stalowa Wola.
The armed forces require over 1,000 of these vehicles, though only 116 have been ordered so far.
Poland also plans to purchase aerial refuelling tankers, likely several A330 MRTT aircraft produced by Airbus.
Tusk said he and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz would this week unveil the San programme – a major initiative to deploy counter-drone systems along Poland's eastern border.
"Poland's land border with Belarus and Russia is currently the best-protected of all European borders, and this is not our final word," Tusk said.
The SAFE instrument provides EUR 150 billion, including in low-interest loans, to EU member states for military procurement, particularly equipment manufactured in Europe.
Romania and France are the next largest beneficiaries, each receiving just over EUR 16 billion.
Poland was among the programme's initiators and submitted its application for EUR 43.7 billion, which the European Commission approved on Monday.
(ał)
Source: PAP