Control Process dispute highlights challenges for Polish firms in Ukraine reconstruction

Polish business leaders describe Ukraine's reconstruction as the largest post‑War investment opportunity in Europe. Lewiatan president Marek Górski called it an investment in security and competitiveness, while the Development Agency for Industry (ARP) stressed that Polish industrial parks can act as a bridge between Western Europe and Ukraine. Ukrainian companies are increasingly establishing operations in Poland, with more than 27 000 firms and 109 000 sole‑proprietorships using the country as a gateway to the EU market.

At the same time, several Polish firms have encountered legal and financial obstacles. The Kraków‑based firm Control Process SA, which built a waste‑processing plant in Lviv under an EU‑funded contract, says the city terminated the agreement, withheld about €10 million in payments and seized bank guarantees despite winning multiple arbitration rulings. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha reiterated that Ukraine’s security is tied to Poland’s, even as diplomatic tensions persist over recent controversies.

In parallel, state‑owned oil group Orlen financed a sponsored article in the Wall Street Journal to promote the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026, underscoring the strategic importance Poland places on the reconstruction effort.