East Front News #19: Polish Arms Deliveries to Ukraine, Hungary Sends Troops to Africa, Polish-Czech Cooperation on F-35 and Munitions

Polish Arms Deliveries to Ukraine

In recent days, the topic of Polish military aid to Ukraine has resurfaced in the headlines, due to public statements by Ukraine’s president and the NATO secretary-general. Since February 2022, Poland has consistently avoided disclosing the precise scale of its military aid to Ukraine. Occasionally, some politicians release very general figures. Military equipment sent to Ukraine is also not included in Poland’s annual reports submitted to the UN Register of Conventional Arms or in reports from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These reports only contain information on what Polish industry and trading intermediaries have sold to Ukraine for profit. However, many images and videos of former Polish equipment used on the front lines appear on the internet.

Defence24.pl Jarosław Ciślak has compiled an unofficial, in-depth list of the equipment that Poland has provided to Ukraine, which you can find clicking a link below. „It’s challenging to assess the actual value of this foreign military assistance, as often, the market value of older equipment like T-72 or Leopard 1 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles is low due to limited demand. These are probably not worth that much, given the fact that potential buyers may be hard to be found. Poland sent T-72 tanks and BWP-1 infantry fighting vehicles mainly in spring, summer, and autumn of 2022, when Ukraine was most in need. The timing of aid is also significant. Many Western pledges of equipment from months or even years ago have not yet been fulfilled - as the public opinion is well aware of that.”

Polish-Czech Cooperation: F-35, Munitions and More

The exchange of experience in preparing infrastructure for F-35s, operating Polish F-16s and Czech C-390s, the prospects of deepening defence cooperation, including ammunition production, and the Eastern Shield project were topics discussed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Czech Defence Minister Jana Černochová. The Czech Defense Minister’s visit program included a stop at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask, where Poland’s F-35s will be stationed. The Czech Republic has ordered 24 of these aircraft.

„We aim to strengthen cooperation between the Polish and Czech defence industries. We believe that joint initiatives, including ammunition production, should be implemented. I confirmed our commitment to the Czech ammunition initiative and fulfilling our obligations by the end of the year,” Kosiniak-Kamysz told journalists after his talks with the Czech Defence Minister. He added that he also presented the status of work on fortifying Poland’s eastern border, which is also the EU and NATO border, as part of the Eastern Shield project. „The first two kilometers of this shield will be completed this week, before Independence Day. I invited Czech engineering troops to cooperate,” he said.

Polish Narew Air and Missile Defence Project Going Forward

Paweł Bejda, Polish Deputy Defence Minister, has revealed that a meeting between Polish, US and British representatives has been concluded. Thanks to this, the 2023 execution agreement for the deliveries of CAMM-ER missiles and iLaunchers, integrated with IBCS system, can be implemented as all the conditions included in the agreement are fulfilled now.

It was previously reported that another meeting of working groups from Poland, the UK and the US on the division of labour regarding the integration of CAMM-ER launchers and missiles into the IBCS system took place in the second half of the year. From the UK side, there has also been a recent announcement of £9bn (around PLN 46bn) of loan guarantees related to the Narew programme. This presumably relates to loans for the Armed Forces Support Fund, to finance the Narew project (worth around PLN 54 billion, approx USD 13.5 billion in total as it regards to the procurement of missiles and launchers).

Moldovan Presidential Election and Re-election of Maia Sandu

The second round of the presidential election in Moldova took place on 3 November 2024, with incumbent president and leader of the pro-Western Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), Maia Sandu, facing challenger Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor general backed by the pro-Russian Socialist Party (PSRM). Sandu won with 55.4% of the vote, while Stoianoglo garnered 44.6% support. The election was marked by significant turnout from the Moldovan diaspora in the EU, UK, and US. The first round, held on 20 October, included a referendum on European integration in the constitution, where 50.4% of participants voted in favor. Sandu’s victory reflects Moldova’s pro-Western aspirations, though pro-Russian politicians criticized the election outcome and Sandu’s camp. Both election rounds and the referendum saw unprecedented Russian interference aimed at blocking Sandu’s re-election and constitutional amendments. This interference included vote-buying and disruptions at electoral commissions abroad through false bomb alarms in cities such as Liverpool and Frankfurt. Sandu’s win boosts PAS’s image ahead of the 2025 parliamentary elections, in which Moscow is expected to attempt similar influence efforts due to the elections« impact on Moldova’s European integration. Her re-election also sends a positive signal for Poland, indicating Moldova’s commitment to a pro-Western path despite years under Kremlin influence.

Hungary Sends Troops to Africa

Hungary is set to deploy a contingent of 200 to 400 troops to Chad, tasked with training local armed forces, combating terrorism, and curbing illegal migration. The deployment follows Hungarian parliamentary approval on 6 November 2023 and a military agreement between Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky and his Chadian counterpart. Hungary’s move coincides with growing bilateral relations with Chad, including opening a humanitarian aid center and diplomatic office in the capital, as well as agreements on agriculture and education. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has also been building ties with the Democratic Republic of Congo, maintaining a close relationship with President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi. Orbán’s „family diplomacy,” involving his son as a direct delegate, has notably strengthened ties with Chadian President Mahamat Déby Itno and former Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum until the July 2023 coup. Although Hungarian opposition claims Orbán’s African engagement aligns with Russian anti-Western actions, the European Union has welcomed Hungary’s efforts for their potential to bolster stability in migration transit countries, which could help mitigate migration toward Europe.

Power Connect Energy Summit 2025

The Power Connect Energy Summit, scheduled for 26-28 March 2025, will bring together leading companies, subcontractors, technology innovators, and decision-makers to discuss energy transition in Poland. Organized by Energetyka24, part of the Defence24 Group, the summit will cover energy security in Poland and the Baltic Sea region, trends in EU climate policy, and their economic impacts. Międzynarodowe Targi Gdańskie S.A. will organize the exhibition segment, featuring industry leaders and service providers across 13,000 m² of space in four exhibition halls. Discussion topics will range from EU energy policy and local government roles in energy transformation, to nuclear energy applications in industry, medicine, and transmission network security in 2025. The summit will also address Poland’s EU Council presidency challenges and the security of energy and critical infrastructure. Held under the honorary patronage of the Polish Ministry of Industry, the event offers participants the chance to explore industry leaders« investment plans, build valuable connections, and expand their expertise. We strongly invite you to be part of this event.

An Elephant Versus the Polish Issue - US Presidential Election

The US presidential election on 5 November saw former Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate following Joe Biden’s resignation, while the Republican candidate was Donald Trump. Trump decisively won with 295 electoral votes to Harris’s 226. Leaders in Warsaw promptly congratulated Trump, emphasizing Poland’s strong alliance with the US, which has been reinforced since the war in Ukraine. It is expected that economic, energy, and military cooperation between the two countries will continue, as Poland remains a key NATO ally by allocating 4% of its GDP to defence, potentially increasing this in the future. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski underscored the importance of maintaining bipartisan US relations, promising that „Poland’s leadership will rise to the occasion.” Trump’s victory has also resonated positively in other NATO eastern-flank nations, such as Estonia and Lithuania, reinforcing the likelihood of strong transatlantic relations. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge for European allies looking to secure enduring cooperation with the US. Poland has managed its relations well, maintaining strong ties with both Republicans (previous government and president Duda) and Democrats (current government). Next year, Warsaw will host the Three Seas Summit, with Donald Trump expected to play an active role.

More K2 tanks and K9 Howitzers Going to Poland

Another shipment of K2 Black Panther tanks and K9A1 self-propelled howitzers bound for the Polish Armed Forces was spotted at the Masan port in South Korea. In the footage, we can see seven K2 Black Panther tanks and 16 K9A1 howitzers at the port. This means that within a few weeks (barring any unexpected delays), Poland will have a total of at least 69 K2 Black Panthers and 124 K9A1s. Fifteen tanks are still pending, which could mean they are currently being transported to Poland or will arrive in December. As for the howitzers, additional eight units (according to the entry below) are scheduled for shipment to Poland next month. By the end of the year, Poland is expected to have 84 K2GF tanks and 132 K9A1 howitzers.

Poland to Establish Drone Branch of the Armed Forces

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced that the Polish Armed Forces are prepared to establish a drone branch command. „The General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces is ready to establish a drone command, a complete drone component. We are fully prepared for this. There is no other area where technology is advancing so rapidly. Of course, we distinguish different types of drones by their size and capabilities. I also want to mention that drones are typically associated with unmanned aerial vehicles, which is our first thought. But ground drones, highly useful as well, and surface and underwater drones — which have provided Ukraine with a significant advantage — are also crucial. We will operate across all four domains: aerial, ground, surface, and undersea,” the ministry wrote on X.

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East Front News is a weekly newsletter and article on Defence24.com summarizing the past week’s most important events concerning security and the situation in the Central and Eastern Europe region. It includes original opinions and comments, along with key news items significant from a Polish perspective.

Aleksander Olech, PhD & Jakub Palowski, Deputy Ed. in Chief