Polish PM says Russia ‘real threat’ as EU deal draws near

The Polish prime minister on Thursday said he expects Brussels to unblock EU funds to Poland soon, noting that the "real threat is Russia."

"Hopefully we're getting closer and the Senate will approve our bill. It is the basis for a compromise with the EU. If this happens, we will be able to submit an application before the president signs it," Mateusz Morawiecki said. "The real enemy is in the East."

Last June, the European Commission, after more than a year of negotiations, approved Poland's National Reconstruction Plan (KPO), but set milestones Warsaw must meet before making payments.

The KPO assumes, among other things, that Poland must implement reforms on judicial independence, and which is why Polish lawmakers approved a new law on Jan. 13, hoping the 27-member bloc will release billions of euros in funding.

"I hope that the commissioner will support us in this, looking at the efforts being made on the Polish side to settle these disputes in the West. Because the real enemy is in the East," Morawiceki said at a press briefing with Janez Lenarcic, the EU commissioner for crisis management.

Brussels has held up payment of more than 35 billion euros ($38 billion) due to concerns that the ruling coalition in Warsaw has undermined the rule of law since coming to power in 2016. The amendment, which has sought to assuage the concerns, needs approval from the opposition-controlled Senate, as well as President Andrzej Duda.

Poland applied for 23.9 billion euros in grants and 11.5 billion euros in loans.

The Central European country has been at the forefront of international condemnation against Russia's war on Ukraine that broke out last February. Besides hosting a large number of Ukrainian refugees, it has provided Kyiv weapons and also asked Berlin for permission to allow the transfer of its Leopard tanks to the war-torn country.