Current:Home > reviewsUS offers Poland rare loan of $2 billion to modernize its military-VaTradeCoin
US offers Poland rare loan of $2 billion to modernize its military
lotradecoin instant crypto swaps View Date:2024-12-25 23:44:43
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Monday that it is offering a $2 billion loan to Poland, which has been a hub for weapons going into Ukraine, to support the ally’s defense modernization.
The State Department said in a statement that Poland is a “stalwart” ally of the U.S. whose “security is vital to the collective defense” of NATO ’s eastern flank, and that such funding is reserved for Washington’s most important security partners.
The U.S. government is also providing Warsaw up to $60 million for the cost of the loan in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) which would support “urgent procurements of defense articles and services from the United States,” the State Department said. The $60 million is a loan subsidy meant to ensure that Warsaw can secure favorable terms for the loan.
Poland has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, handing over large numbers of its own tanks, fighter jets and other equipment. It has also been a hub for most of the Western weapons going to Ukraine.
It has been undergoing a process of modernization to replace what it gave away, much of which was based on old Soviet technology, putting in orders with U.S. and South Korean defense companies.
Recently the Polish-Ukrainian relationship has seen strains due to a trade dispute centered on Ukrainian grain entering the Polish market and driving down the prices Polish farmers can get. Amid the spat Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said his country was no longer sending any more weapons to Ukraine.
The comment created some confusion. Analysts noted that Poland has already in fact given Ukraine most of what it has to give, and the statement was made ahead of a Polish election and did not mean much. But it also raised concerns that Western support for Ukraine could be weakening.
U.S. officials have sought to play down the spat, praising Poland’s role in helping Ukraine and noting that it is in Poland’s strategic interest for Ukraine to prevail against Russia.
veryGood! (8)
Related
- Through 'The Loss Mother's Stone,' mothers share their grief from losing a child to stillbirth
- Eagles top Patriots in preseason: Tanner McKee leads win, pushing Kenny Pickett as backup QB
- Bibles, cryptocurrency, Truth Social and gold bars: A look at Trump’s reported sources of income
- Ex-Alabama officer agrees to plead guilty to planting drugs before sham traffic stop
- China says Philippines has 'provoked trouble' in South China Sea with US backing
- Why Fans Think Taylor Swift Made Cheeky Nod to Travis Kelce Anniversary During Eras Tour With Ed Sheeran
- What is vitamin B6 good for? Health experts weigh in on whether you need a supplement.
- After record-breaking years, migrant crossings plunge at US-Mexico border
- SCDF aids police in gaining entry to cluttered Bedok flat, discovers 73
- When is the 'Love Island USA' Season 6 reunion? Date, time, cast, how to watch
Ranking
- Atmospheric river and potential bomb cyclone bring chaotic winter weather to East Coast
- Fake Heiress Anna Delvey Shares Devious Message as She Plots Social Media Return
- Iowa proposes summer grocery boxes as alternative to direct cash payments for low-income families
- New Jersey governor’s former chief of staff to replace Menendez, but only until November election
- Travis Kelce Praises Taylor Swift For Making Eras Tour "Best In The World"
- Ukraine’s swift push into the Kursk region shocked Russia and exposed its vulnerabilities
- Ryan Reynolds Reacts to Deadpool's Box Office Rivalry With Wife Blake Lively's It Ends With Us
- US consumer sentiment rises slightly on Democratic optimism over Harris’ presidential prospects
Recommendation
-
'Mary': How to stream, what biblical experts think about Netflix's new coming
-
Colorado man charged with strangling teen who was goofing around at In-N-Out Burger
-
Kim Dotcom loses 12-year fight to halt deportation from New Zealand to face US copyright case
-
Ukraine’s swift push into the Kursk region shocked Russia and exposed its vulnerabilities
-
Billboard Music Awards 2024: Complete winners list, including Taylor Swift's historic night
-
Everything at Old Navy Is 40% off! Build Your Fall Fit with $20 Jeans, $7 Tops, $17 Dresses & More
-
BeatKing, Houston native and 'Thick' rapper, dies at 39 from pulmonary embolism
-
After Partnering With the State to Monitor Itself, a Pennsylvania Gas Company Declares Its Fracking Operations ‘Safe’