Increased military co-operation to tackle the growing threats
facing Europe will be at the heart of a new defence and security
agreement launched by the UK and Poland today.
Prime Minister will travel to Poland today to
start talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the new
UK-Poland Treaty, which will bring the two countries closer
together to tackle shared threats.
With Putin's ongoing aggression in Ukraine, the people smuggling
gangs profiting from human misery and wreaking havoc across
borders, and the growing threat of climate change – the Prime
Minister has been clear that closer working with our European
allies is necessary to tackle the issues that rebound on the
British people at home.
The treaty will support our militaries to work more closely
together to protect Europe from Russian aggression and do more to
tackle disinformation and hybrid threats. It will also see the
two nations work together to smash the people smuggling gangs,
secure our energy supplies and protect our infrastructure.
The UK and Poland have been close allies for many years, working
together to bolster NATO's Eastern Flank and deepening our
defence industrial cooperation through key defence projects such
as the MIECZNIK AH140 Frigate Programme and the NAREW Ground
Based Air Defence Programme.
The Prime Minister has also confirmed a boost to the UK's defence
industries with the opening of a new UK-Poland Joint Programme
Office in Bristol this year, which will be staffed by personnel
from both countries while delivering Poland's next generation air
defence system.
The NAREW programme is a collaboration between UK firm MBDA and
Polish defence company PGZ, which will see Poland receive more
than 1,000 air missiles to help protect its people and bolster
overall European security.
It follows the Prime Minister's trip to Ukraine this week, where
he confirmed the UK's enduring support for Ukraine via a new 100
Year Partnership.
Keeping the country safe and secure is the Prime Minister's first
priority and the key foundation on which the government will
deliver its Plan for Change.
Prime Minister said:
“The UK and Poland are longstanding allies and our
co-operation stretches back for generations.
“With ever-increasing threats to Europe's security, now is
the time to take our partnership to the next level, so we can
ensure we're tackling the big issues that rebound on the British
people at home – from Putin's aggression to the vile people
smuggling gangs trading in human misery.
“It is only through closer collaboration with our most
important partners such as Poland that we'll protect the UK's
national security – the key foundation on which I'll deliver my
Plan for Change.”
As part of the treaty, the UK and Poland are expected to
turbocharge their efforts to tackle illegal migration. Poland has
been on the frontline of Europe's fight to tackle organised
immigration crime – and has seen a huge increase in migrant
crossings from the Belarusian border, facilitated by gangs
assisted by the Belarusian and Russian authorities.
Last week, the UK announced a world-first sanctions regime which
will cripple the people smuggling crime rings and starve them of
the illicit finance fuelling their operations.
Talks are expected to begin this month to agree the treaty, which
will be a key pillar of the UK's wider reset with Europe and
builds on recent agreements with France and Germany.
The Prime Minister will also focus on strengthening economic ties
and meet Polish business leaders while in Warsaw to encourage
inward investment into the UK – supporting thousands of jobs for
British people and growing the economy.
Bilateral trade between the UK and Poland has doubled in the last
decade – reaching £30.6 billion in 2024. British firms exported
goods and services worth £10.6 billion to Poland last year,
supporting around 75,000 jobs in the UK.
To coincide with the Prime Minister's visit, Polish company
InPost has today announced that it is investing a further £600
million by 2029 to grow their operations in the UK. This brings
its total investment into the UK to £1 billion – supporting up to
12,000 new jobs.
InPost is a leader in logistics solutions for European e-commerce
and they operate the largest parcel lockers network in the UK.
This is the latest in a series of job-boosting investments to
deliver growth as part of our Plan for Change including £14
billion in AI investment, £4 billion from Malaysian YTL creating
30,000 jobs and a £50 million investment deal secured between
JATCO, Nissan and UK government to build a new manufacturing site
in Sunderland, creating and supporting hundreds of jobs in the
North East.
