“The EU has a lot to do in this respect,” he said citing defence cooperation in economic matters, speaking on the sidelines of a Gala launch of the Polish presidency in Brussels.

He said the EU can strengthen the capacities of the European defence industry, support European defence initiatives and strengthen of the security of critical infrastructure or such initiatives as the Eastern shield.

Eastern shield is a project designed to meet the problem of Poland’s eastern border, which has been subject to flows of illegal migration spurred by Belarus and Russia.

Szlapka said that EU activities should in no way compete with NATO, saying: “Poland has a clear opinion, all EU initiatives must be complementary and must cooperate with NATO in this respect, because NATO is the guarantor of security.”

During the Gala event Kaja Kallas, the High Representative, told Euronews about the complementarity of NATO and the EU on defence, saying that NATO deals with military issues, including military planning, and the EU deals more with the defence industry.

Kallas flagged that not all EU countries are members of NATO, and cited challenges facing European foreign and defence policy, such as the establishment of relations with the new American administration, the crisis in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine and food, military and energy security. She said the EU was “counting on help from the Polish Presidency”.

Polish minister also touted a tough line on energy policy, signaling a shift from independence from Russian supplies to complete disengagement from such supplies.  

“Our aim should be to completely wean ourselves off the supply of fossil fuels from Russia and the supply of raw materials for two reasons. Firstly, so that we are safer, and secondly, we cannot finance a regime that commits such atrocities,” he said.