Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the decision would not impact Ukraine’s security (Picture: Reuters/Rex)
Poland has announced it will no longer send weapons to Ukraine, as it shifts focus to modernising its own military.
The announcement from one of Ukraine’s top allies in its fight against Russian invaders comes amid a bitter dispute over the import of grain.
However, Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said his decision was not related to the agricultural disagreement and insisted it would not impact their neighbour’s security.
He told private TV broadcaster Polsat News yesterday: ‘We are no longer transferring any weapons to Ukraine because now we will arm ourselves with the most modern weapons.’
Mr Morawiecki added that the move would not affect the Nato and US hub in the south-eastern Polish city of Rzeszów, which is used as a base for transporting arms across the border.
His government has placed a ban on imports of Ukrainian grain, over fears large quantities would depress prices and hurt farmers in Poland and the wider European Union.
In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said ‘political theatre’ around the grain was only helping Moscow.
Zelensky’s comments prompted anger in Warsaw, where the Ukrainian ambassador was summoned to the foreign ministry for a dressing-down.
Poland carried out its ‘Autumn Fire 23’ military display on Sunday (Picture: Reuters)
The dispute has driven the relationship between the two governments to its lowest point since Russia’s invasion in February last year.
Hungary and Slovakia have also introduced bans on Ukrainian grain imports.
Since the war began, Poland has transferred much of its aging weapons and military equipment across the border for use by Ukraine.
Poland said the president’s comments suggested ‘some EU countries feigned solidarity while indirectly supporting Russia’ (Picture: Jason Szenes/UPI/Shutterstock)
Meanwhile, the country has been upgrading its own arsenal with items bought from South Korea and other countries.
In his TV interview, Mr Morawiecki said: ‘If you want to defend yourself, you have to have something to defend with.
‘We adhere to that principle, that is why we have placed increased orders.’
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