Poland signed a $4 billion U.S. loan-guarantee agreement Wednesday to support purchases of American military equipment, deepening defense ties with Washington as the country continues a broad modernization of its armed forces.
The agreement was concluded under the U.S. Foreign Military Financing program, which provides government-backed loan guarantees to allied countries buying U.S. defense equipment and services. Polish officials said it is Warsaw’s sixth agreement through the program and its third U.S. government loan guarantee.
The latest deal brings the total value of Poland’s U.S. military financing support to nearly $20 billion, according to Polish officials.
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Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said the agreement would help accelerate already signed contracts, including Poland’s planned acquisition of Apache attack helicopters. He described the arrangement as further evidence that the Polish-U.S. alliance is based on practical cooperation rather than political declarations.
“It is truly remarkable that our alliance is not just about words or declarations, but is backed by real, joint action,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said, according to the Polish Press Agency.
Thomas DiNanno, the U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, called Poland a “model ally” and a trusted American partner. He said the deal reflected continued U.S. support for Poland and a shared commitment to security in Europe.
Poland has moved rapidly to strengthen its military since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022. The country has pursued one of Europe’s largest defense modernization programs, ordering weapons and equipment from domestic producers as well as suppliers in the United States, South Korea and elsewhere.
Warsaw has sought to expand its forces, improve air defenses and replace aging Soviet-era systems with modern equipment compatible with NATO allies. Its location on NATO’s eastern flank has made defense planning increasingly urgent as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues.
Poland is among the alliance’s highest defense spenders when measured as a percentage of gross domestic product. The government has committed billions of dollars to military procurement, including aircraft, tanks, missile systems, artillery and helicopters.
The U.S. financing agreement is intended to help Poland fund purchases without requiring the full cost to be paid upfront. Under the Foreign Military Financing program, Washington guarantees loans that allies can use to buy eligible American defense articles and services.
Poland has become one of the United States’ most important European defense customers in recent years. Its purchases have included Abrams tanks, HIMARS rocket launchers, Patriot air-defense systems and F-35 fighter jets, alongside the Apache helicopter program referenced by the defense minister.
The new financing also comes as Poland taps other sources of defense funding. The country is the largest beneficiary of the European Union’s SAFE program, which offers low-interest loans for defense investments. Poland has been allocated nearly 44 billion euros, or about $48 billion, through that initiative.
Polish leaders have argued that strengthening the country’s military is necessary both for national defense and for NATO’s wider deterrence posture. The government has also stressed that military spending can support Poland’s domestic defense industry, although many of its biggest recent orders have gone to foreign suppliers.
The $4 billion agreement underscores the continuing scale of Poland’s defense buildup and its close security relationship with the United States. It also gives Warsaw another financing mechanism as it works to carry out a growing list of weapons contracts amid heightened security concerns across Europe.
