Signal to Putin and Trump: France and Poland deepen defense cooperation - Financial Times
France and Poland intend to sign a large-scale agreement covering defense and economic issues, which is the latest step by European countries to deepen military ties amid Russian aggression and uncertainty about US security guarantees.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the Financial Times.
As noted, the agreement will be signed by French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on May 9. The treaty, which has been in the works for years, has taken on new significance after U.S. President Donald Trump's statements about rapprochement with Russia and threats to cancel U.S. guarantees that have been the basis of European security for decades.
"Tusk is also now sending a signal to Washington, our main ally for many years. This is a clear signal that Poland is not only dependent on the United States, but can also have other powerful nuclear allies," said Aleksander Olech, security analyst at Defence24, a think tank in Poland.
The agreement comes after Tusk recently said that Poland is open to the possibility of coming under France's nuclear umbrella. Tusk also talked about Poland developing its own nuclear warheads to deter Russia.
The French official noted that Macron and Tusk are unlikely to reach concrete decisions on nuclear deterrence during their meeting to sign the treaty in the French city of Nancy.
It is also reported that the agreement will cover a wide range of issues and will provide Poland with a treaty similar to those already in place with France's neighbors Germany, Italy, and Spain. France also has narrower defense treaties with other countries, such as the Lancaster House agreement with the UK.
Earlier this week, Tusk said that the agreement would lead to a "very serious acceleration" of economic and military security on the continent. On the economic front, France hopes to play a greater role in Poland's transition away from coal, which still provides most of its electricity.
The French official noted that the agreement also demonstrates that Paris sees Warsaw as an increasingly important partner amid the war in Ukraine.
According to him, the purpose of the agreement is to deepen and implement key elements of Franco-Polish relations, including threat assessments, joint defense projects, and continued discussions on strategic issues, including nuclear deterrence.
