On the second day of the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, a debate was held on increasing funding for Ukraine’s reconstruction and defense, and in particular on the use of frozen Russian assets as a source of aid for the country under attack. PiS MEPs Adam Bielan, Kosma Złotowski, and Arkadiusz Mularczyk took the floor during the discussion.
Adam Bielan noted that since the previous debate on frozen Russian assets, Russia has launched thousands of missiles and drones toward Ukraine, some of which have violated European airspace and critical infrastructure. As he emphasized, each of these incidents proves that the war is not taking place somewhere far away, but poses a direct threat to Europe’s security.
The ECR coordinator in the AFET Committee noted that Russia’s aggression has already cost hundreds of thousands of lives and devastated the Ukrainian economy, while at the same time putting the determination and credibility of the entire European Union to the test. “Poland, as one of Ukraine’s closest allies, understands perfectly well the price of aggression and how dangerous hesitation can be. However, we also know the strength that comes from solidarity,” said Adam Bielan. He added that he welcomes the Commission’s determination to act swiftly and decisively. According to the MEP, seizing Russian assets sends a clear message: aggression has consequences, and those who wage illegal wars will pay for the damage they have caused.
“Ukraine needs support right now—for air defense systems to protect civilians, to rebuild energy infrastructure before winter, and to clear farmland of landmines,” he listed, noting that speed is of the essence. “While we debate safeguards and procedures, Ukraine is fighting for its survival. Europe’s credibility and the meaning of our solidarity depend on implementing solutions within months, not years,” he argued. “Europe must act together, and it must act now,” the Polish politician urged.
Kosma Złotowski noted that while the idea of using frozen Russian assets to defend Ukraine is a good one, it is, unfortunately, too late. “Today we’re talking about the nineteenth package of sanctions against Russia. The nineteenth! Maybe the fortieth or fiftieth package will finally prove effective?” he asked. The MEP stated that these funds should have been transferred to Ukraine long ago, which would have helped limit the scale of Kyiv’s debt and allowed Ukraine to fight the aggressor more effectively. “Then we wouldn’t have to grant so many loans, and Kyiv would be fighting Putin with his own money,” he noted.
The Polish politician also criticized the cautious approach of some European leaders toward imposing sanctions. In his view, from the very beginning they preferred “half-hearted” measures, hoping that they would soon be able to return to business as usual. Złotowski noted that it was only after the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was blown up that some of them realized there would be no further “reset” in relations with Moscow.
Kosma Złotowski also warned against a possible distortion of the idea of aid to Ukraine. “Let’s hope today’s plan doesn’t just amount to a cash injection for German or French defense companies that were doing business with Russia until recently. Because if this is what European solidarity is supposed to look like, then we’ve already lost this war,” he concluded.
Arkadiusz Mularczyk pointed out that the European Parliament has been discussing the financing of Ukraine’s reconstruction for months and emphasized that this is the right course of action. “These funds must come from frozen Russian assets—from the wealth of oligarchs linked to the Kremlin who are financing this aggression,” he argued.
At the same time, he noted that since the Parliament is able to clearly identify those responsible for the destruction of Ukraine, it should also speak clearly about those responsible for the destruction wrought during World War II in Poland, Greece, and other countries. “To this day, no one has paid for the reconstruction of my country following the German occupation. To this day, there has been no reparations, and the European Commission, led by a German president, pretends the problem does not exist,” the PiS MEP recalled. “It cannot be that aggressors go unpunished—neither then nor now! There is no statute of limitations on injustice,” Mularczyk concluded.
