Poland and the United Kingdom are moving to strengthen their strategic partnership with a new defence and security treaty aimed at countering what Warsaw describes as the growing long-
term threat from Russia.
Speaking before departing for London on Wednesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Warsaw is seeking the closest possible ties with Britain, with defence cooperation at the centre of the relationship.
The agreement, set to be signed later on Wednesday, is expected to boost military and security collaboration between the two NATO allies at a time of rising tensions across Europe. The British government said the treaty is designed to reinforce joint defence efforts in response to increasingly hostile threats facing the continent.
Although Britain and Poland already maintain close military ties, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Europe’s changing security landscape requires deeper cooperation between allies.
The pact follows similar agreements Britain has recently pursued with France and Germany, as European nations face mounting pressure to take greater responsibility for regional security. The shift comes amid calls from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump for European countries to expand their defence capabilities.
Both Britain and Poland have been among Ukraine’s strongest supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, providing military aid and political backing to Kyiv.
Tusk said both governments view Russia as a strategic and long-term threat not only to Poland and Britain, but also to NATO as a whole.
“Our cooperation should focus on securing Poland and other countries against the Russian threat,” he told reporters.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Britain and Poland are already close allies and friends, but the challenges Europe now faces demands an even stronger partnership. This treaty is the biggest step forward in our defence and security relationship with Poland in a generation, allowing us to confront modern security threats that may be less visible but no less dangerous, and our collective work together will keep our countries safe for years to come.
It also delivers on my commitment to work more closely with European partners to boost security and opportunity for people at home and stability across our continent".
Beyond defence, the treaty will also place significant emphasis on cybersecurity cooperation. Polish officials say the country’s role as a major transit hub for military aid to Ukraine has made it increasingly vulnerable to Russian espionage, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. Photo by Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania, Wikimedia commons.
