President Andrzej Duda has said that Poland will not transfer weapons it has purchased in recent years to Ukraine or any other country.
Polish President Andrzej Duda (left) during a visit to a Hanwha Aerospace production facility in Changwon, South Korea on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. Hanwha Aerospace manufactures defense products including K9 howitzers and Chunmoo rocket launchers. Poland ordered such weapons from South Korea in 2022.PAP/Piotr Nowak
Speaking during a visit to South Korea, the Polish leader said that arms acquired „for billions of zlotys” with taxpayers’ money are intended solely for Poland’s own defense.
When asked by reporters if there was a possibility that Poland could pass on weapons acquired from South Korea to Ukraine—should South Korea decide to supply arms to Ukraine—Duda dismissed the idea.
„There is no scenario in which we would consider handing over weapons purchased for billions of zlotys from taxpayers’ money to anyone,” he said.
„These arms are meant to ensure Poland’s own security and defense,” he added.
Duda told reporters that he had been „approached by Ukrainian partners regarding this matter,” but he said he was firm in his stance.
„My response was clear: as long as I am president, there is no possibility that we could give away the weapons purchased in recent years because they are meant to strengthen our national security,” he asserted.
South Korean tanks to be produced in Poland
On the last day of his trip to South Korea, Duda visited the Hyundai Rotem manufacturing facility, where K2 tanks, including those destined for Poland, are produced.
He met with the company’s CEO, Lee Yong-bae, to discuss potential collaborations.
The president expressed optimism about finalizing an agreement with Hyundai to launch the production of K2 tanks in Poland.
„I hope that in the near future, a fundamentally important agreement will be signed, resulting in the actual launch of K2 tank production in Poland,” Duda said.
„This is something we have discussed from the very beginning,” he added.
He noted that the planned project stems from prolonged negotiations between South Korea and Poland’s Ministry of Defense.
Duda said: „We hope that these tanks will soon be produced for us in Poland, and that this will also be a potential offer for other countries. It would be very important for us if we could bring this production capacity and technology to our country.”
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Source: PAP