Germany and Poland will sign a new defense agreement amid the threat from Russia
Germany and Poland are preparing to sign a new defense agreement aimed at strengthening military cooperation in Europe. The document is scheduled to be signed as early as Wednesday amid growing threats from Russia and uncertainty regarding the future role of the United States in ensuring the security of the European continent.
In recent years, relations between Warsaw and Berlin have become more pragmatic.
This shift was driven by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the change in Poland’s government following the election of a liberal administration in 2023.
Poland is interested in strengthening the role of its European allies in defending NATO’s eastern flank, especially against the backdrop of a possible reduction in the U.S. military presence in Europe. At the same time, Germany is actively working to modernize its own armed forces after years of defense cutbacks and aims to build one of the strongest armies on the Alliance’s European flank.
According to preliminary information, the new defense agreement will cover issues related to security in the Baltic region, military mobility, infrastructure development, cybersecurity, and the implementation of cutting-edge technologies in the defense sector.
The document will also reaffirm the parties’ existing commitments to mutual defense within NATO and the European Union. At the same time, the agreement will be primarily practical in nature and will not contain separate political declarations on mutual defense, as provided for in similar bilateral treaties between Poland and France and the United Kingdom.
Earlier, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski explained why Warsaw was in no hurry to conclude such an agreement with Berlin.
“All hell will break loose here,” Sikorski said, commenting on the possible reaction of the Polish political establishment.
Despite the gradual improvement in relations between the countries, sensitive historical issues remain on the bilateral agenda. In particular, while the Law and Justice party was in power, the Polish side demanded $1.3 trillion in reparations from Germany for damages caused during World War II, but Berlin rejected these claims.
Experts do not rule out that the issue of reparations will once again become a topic of political debate ahead of Poland’s parliamentary elections. Under these circumstances, Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government will try to avoid accusations of being overly focused on Germany’s interests.
This was reported by the AP.
Earlier, German officials stated that a decision on developing a new sixth-generation fighter jet would not be made in the near future, as the project requires further analysis following changes in European defense cooperation. Berlin emphasizes that the roles of the participants, costs, and industrial capabilities must first be determined.
The Pentagon has blocked the sale of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany. According to Politico, officials in Washington fear that such a move could provoke Russia and further escalate tensions in Europe.
