New defense agreement between Poland and England against Russia
Poland and the UK have decided to sign a new defense and security agreement that describes Russia as the "biggest and direct threat". Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that bilateral agreements aim to provide rapid military support to Warsaw in the period until NATO's collective defense mechanism is activated.
Poland and the United Kingdom agreed to sign a new agreement in the field of defense and security, which defines the Russian Federation as a direct threat.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the development to the public before his trip to London, where the document will be signed.
Prime Minister Tusk stated in his statement in Warsaw that the entry part of the agreement to be signed is of strategic importance.
Tusk said, "One of the first sentences of the agreement has a decisive importance. We are aware that Russia poses the greatest threat. Poland-England cooperation is also focused on countering this threat," he said.
The Polish Prime Minister added that the document in question is the second most important defense contract for Poland after the previous agreement with France.
According to Tusk, bilateral agreements with France and England foresee that Paris and London will quickly deliver aid to Warsaw in the event of a possible military conflict.
This mechanism was designed to be activated before all 32 NATO member countries made a joint decision to activate Article 5 of the alliance charter, which regulates collective defense, and developed a common response.
Emphasizing that Warsaw will continue to establish bilateral defense alliances in order to "have friends ready to react instantly", Tusk said, "These steps are not a substitute of NATO or an additional structure to NATO. Poland is a country that attaches importance to NATO and transatlantic relations as a whole. Nothing has changed in this position, but we want to be ready just in case," he said.
In the official statement made by the British government, it was stated that the new agreement reached with Poland aims to strengthen defense cooperation, protect borders and fight against organized crime.
According to the technical details of the agreement, the two countries will take steps to ensure the joint development of new generation weapons, air and missile defense systems and will focus on the joint production of medium-range missiles.
In addition, Britain and Poland plan to expand the use of unmanned aerial vehicle systems and organize joint military exercises on defense and electronic warfare against UAVs in order to strengthen NATO's eastern flank.
In his statements at the end of April, Tusk stated that Russia could carry out a military attack against NATO member countries this year, and that it should be clarified whether all member countries of the alliance are ready at a practical level to fulfill their collective defense obligations.
Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin may decide to attack a NATO country in order to start a new wave of mobilization due to the lockdown in the war in Ukraine.
In his assessment on the subject, Kallas said, "Of course, no one can read exactly what is going through Putin's mind. However, this situation may be a calculation to take the war further and change the current linear course of the conflict," he said.