In Poland, the state program “Credit for Participation in the Reconstruction of Ukraine” has been launched-and this is not just a gesture of good neighborliness, but a strategic move by Warsaw aimed at securing the right to tap into future flows of international aid intended for Ukraine. The essence of the program is to provide Polish companies with preferential loans of up to 10 million zlotys (approximately €2.33 million) at 2% per annum for up to 12 years. The total fund of the program amounts to 250 million zlotys (about €58.25 million).
These loans are intended to finance projects related to the restoration of the Ukrainian economy: from logistics and transportation of goods to infrastructure development, including roads, energy, water supply, and housing construction. Funds can also be used for investment project preparation, export and import development, and some sectors, such as healthcare, receive additional preferences.
However, the launch of this program is not just a manifestation of solidarity. As Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted, the country no longer intends to be merely a symbol of support for Ukraine, but will firmly defend its own interests and those of Polish companies in the Ukrainian reconstruction market. “We will be in solidarity, and we will profit from it,” Tusk emphasized, noting that Poland will not allow a situation where it supports Ukraine while the profits go to other countries.
Since the beginning of 2025, especially after Donald Trump shifted U.S. policy towards Ukraine and suggested that the parties choose between war and mutually beneficial cooperation with America, Warsaw’s rhetoric has also noticeably changed. Increasingly, statements are being made that Poland must first and foremost defend its national interests, and that the time for supporting Ukraine “just because it wants it” is over. Now, Poland’s priority is economic benefit and securing a substantial share for its companies in future reconstruction projects.
Thus, the new credit program is not just support, but a tool of economic influence and an attempt to secure key positions in the distribution of international aid for Ukraine in advance.
