Security and Defence MEPs visit Poland to assess eastern flank defence readiness

The delegation visiting Poland from 16 to 17 February will assess how the country’s defence industry is adapting to Russia's illegal war against Ukraine and new geopolitical realities.

The purpose of the visit by the delegation from the European Parliament’s Security and Defence Committee is to visit defence facilities in Poland to observe at first hand how the EU industry is handling growing demand amid increasing efforts to bolster Europe’s defence readiness. MEPs will also be looking to see how the sector is responding to new EU initiatives aimed at strengthening the European defence technological and industrial base, such as the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument and the European defence industry programme. In addition, the delegation will examine the extent to which the European defence industry is cooperating with its Ukrainian equivalent, whose technologies and capabilities are being tested and improved in real time on the battlefield. They will also assess Europe’s general defence readiness on the eastern flank.

In Warsaw, MEPs will meet with senior officials from the Polish Ministry of National Defence and members of the Polish Parliament’s National Defence Committee. Visits to military and industry facilities in Warszawa-Wesoa, Skarżysko-Kamienna and Radom are also planned.

A press point with MEPs is scheduled on Tuesday 17 February at 17.30 CET in the Polish Parliament (Wiejska 4/6/8, 00-902 Warsaw). For those wishing to attend and not yet accredited to the Sejm, please follow the instructions provided here and inform Łukasz Kempara, the press officer in the European Parliament’s Office in Poland: lukasz.kempara@ep.europa.eu or +48 605 65 50 50.

The delegation will be chaired by Nicolás Pascual de la Parte (EPP, Spain) and also include Hélder Sousa Silva (EPP, Portugal), Ana Catarina Mendes (S&D, Portugal), Alexandr Vondra (ECR, Czechia), Michał Szczerba (EPP, Poland) and Michal Dworczyk (ECR, Poland).