PL Sikorski: let Russia pay for US Weapons to Ukraine, not European Taxpayers

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski is backing the new US and NATO plan to ramp up military aid to Ukraine — but with one strong condition: Russia should foot the bill, not European taxpayers, as Polish Press Agency reports.

Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Sikorski responded to US President Donald Trump’s July 14 announcement that 17 PATRIOT air defense systems will be delivered to Ukraine, along with a new NATO framework where allies contribute funds to support US-made weapons.

Sikorski said he asked fellow foreign ministers directly:

“Who should pay for American equipment? Should it be European taxpayers, or, in my opinion, should the aggressor pay for it using its frozen funds?”

He’s pushing for a shift in thinking — that the costs of aggression should be borne by the aggressor, especially with Russia’s frozen assets already held in Western financial systems. And as Trump also dropped an ultimatum that if Russia doesn’t end the war within 50 days, it will face 100% tariffs and tougher sanctions, Sikorski sees this deadline as a critical window:

“We hope that this 50-day window before potential US sanctions is a time to increase pressure on the Russian Federation so that it finally comes to its senses.”

Sikorski expressed approval of what he called a new, tougher US stance toward the war in Ukraine — one he says mirrors what many European countries have been calling for all along.