Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans for a new UK-Poland Treaty aimed at addressing growing security threats in Europe.
During a visit to Warsaw, Starmer will meet Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to formalise discussions on the agreement, which focuses on military co-operation, countering illegal migration, and securing energy supplies.
The treaty is intended to strengthen the longstanding partnership between the two nations, with Starmer stating, “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.”
The treaty aims to:
- Bolster defence collaboration to counter Russian aggression, disinformation, and hybrid threats.
- Address illegal migration by tackling organised immigration crime and people smuggling gangs.
- Secure energy supplies and critical infrastructure for both nations.
Poland, which has faced heightened challenges from migrant crossings at its Belarusian border, has been a key player in Europe’s fight against organised immigration crime. The UK recently introduced a world-first sanctions regime targeting people-smuggling crime rings, which will complement the treaty’s provisions.
The treaty includes initiatives to strengthen defence industrial ties, such as the opening of a UK-Poland Joint Programme Office in Bristol. The office will deliver Poland’s next-generation air defence system as part of the NAREW programme—a collaboration between UK firm MBDA and Polish defence company PGZ. Under the programme, Poland will receive over 1,000 air missiles.
This builds on existing defence projects, including the MIECZNIK AH140 Frigate Programme and the NAREW Ground Based Air Defence Programme.
Starmer reiterated the importance of the UK’s relationship with Poland, stating, “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.”
The UK-Poland Treaty follows similar agreements with France and Germany and represents a key pillar of the government’s broader reset with Europe.
Can we hope that this is a definite step forward for the UK to get the CAMM-MR as part of its GBAD and even into the Mk41s on the T31 and T26s? This can’t be just be all for Poland can it? What a opportunity for the UK to also get something from this!
We will have to hope that this treaty and security guarantees work more effectively than they did in 1939!
Too true.. when we abandoned the Polish!
Not really, we and the French declared war on Germany due to it, costing hundreds of thousands of UK lives.
If you want a villain for the piece (apart from Germany obvs) then look to the Soviets. They were with us, France, Czech and Poland as a bulwark against Germany. Not only did they abandon that with the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, but they actually joined in the invasion as well.
Yes. But if you look deeper, their previous Foreign Minister proposed an alliance between Britain, France, and the USSR, and met with a cold response from us. That chap, Litvinov or some name like that, was replaced by Molotov, who then went to Germany for the Non Aggression Pact. They wanted talks in Moscow, and instead of the PM, we sent a lower level Civil Servant.
I wonder why we did that, and whether that helped make up Stalin’s mind to side with Hitler.
I wonder if Poland will be brought into the JEF?
If it does then the JEF will have a massive army easily able to take on Russia on its own without the rest of European being involved. One thing JEF is lacking is aircraft. The UK should very much focus on that with a significant increase in both Typhoon and F35. East Europe doesn’t need the UK to supply another brigade. They need a big Air Force and AWACS.
Need more Typhoon and F35s
Need more Submarines,
Need more Tanks,
Need more troops,
Cannot have it all.
Yes we can, it is just a matter of will and priorities.
The other JEF countries have plenty of troops and plenty of tanks so we don’t have to have it all. The Baltics alone can call up 400,000
Don’t need it all.
We’ve never been a land power. Even if we doubled the size of the Army in all aspects – troops and equipment – it’s still a fraction of the NATO total.
I’m happy with a small army if we had a larger navy and air force. We can contribute far more by air and sea than by land.
Yes, since the 1300’s we have always sent expeditionary forces to the continent.
This sounds like it’s mostly driven by a desire to get Poland to buy British weapons. Not that that’s a bad thing.
Exactly my thought.
What are the UK buying Mr Starmer?
I guess Rachel from accounts would be cross.
There is never a shortage of headlines on our ‘leadership roles, commitments and new treaties’ just a shortage of actual decisions on direction, acquisitions/consistent support for our defence industry and the capabilities to meet the grandstanding unlike Poland who are just getting on with it.
Rachel from accounts will support Polands investment in the U.K. defence industry, The motto should be ‘Invest in the U.K. so we don’t have to’
Part of me thinks we should try to get Poland to buy into Tempest.
‘The UK and Poland are longstanding allies and our co-operation stretches back for generations. ‘
Let’s see, Poland didn’t become an independent state until about 1917. It was conquered in 1939 by Germany, then became part of the Warsaw Pact until 1989 – both enemies. So basically ‘long standing allies’ and ‘generations’ is now defined as about 36 years?
That was my first thought as well. Also, wasn’t it Polish Lancers that decimated the British Heavy Cavalry at Waterloo?
All water under the bridge of course, but I do wish our politicians wouldn’t make such silly statements – they just look, well… silly!
Cheers CR
You aren’t seriously suggesting that Poland had a real option over extent to which it joined the Warsaw Pact or not. Remember it was the Poles that eventually started the collapse of the Warsaw Pact through its trade unions.
Agreed. Poland as been screwed over by being stuck between Germany and Russia.
Never again.
They had little choice with Russia’s massed armies pushing into Poland after Bagration, the exiled government in London was ignored by Stalin.
The Soviets even paused the advance outside Warsaw so the Home Army uprising could be crushed by the SS before it could establish itself and cause them problems.
The Poles fought from Northolt, at Cassio, and elsewhere, while their nation was raped by Germany. So I have a lot of time for them.
Up the Poles!
Hey Rob….remind me why Britain declared war in 1939?
Remind me which nationality manned 303 squadron?
Which nation gave us the prototype computers to crack enigma?
ORP Piorun, the destroyer that engaged the Bismark with everything it had for hours was crewed by men of which country?
Also Poland became an independent nation as a result of a treaty that was made after… checking my notes… oh yes after we won world war I and stipulated Polish independence as a condition.
There seems to be a pattern developing here. First we sign a defence agreement with Germany and then Poland, next Italy given the Tempest program?. Dare I say that this might be a clever way to develop closer ties with EU member states as I am pretty sure that defence deals are not covered by the EU treaty. Build good relations on defence and hope to lever something better on other areas of trade..?
Just a thought.
Cheers CR
Possibly or is it Starmers way of trying to distance himself away from the Trump administration. For me he’ll be for Trump only at face value but think he’s more for Europe.🙄
That’s a good thing right? The UK needs strong defence ties with Europe.
Treatys are cool, then war starts and we get battered for a few years until we blag the nearest superpower to help us, then we win the last battle and the jobs a goodun.
❤️☮️
Oh, shut up. And learn to spell properly. It’s treatIES!
Did you come last in Russian Troll academy? Careful; it’ll be off to the frontlines for you soon if the quality of your trolling doesn’t improve!
Hiya Steve
Danke for the spelling lesson, let me now give you a lesson on truth, well ! Truth comes in three stages, first it’s ridiculed, second it’s violently opposed and finally it’s accepted as being self evident.
I don’t like warmongering as you know, my question to you is, why ain’t you on the Ostfront fighting for your convictions ? Or is it that war’s cool as long as you’re not anywhere near it…
You remind me more of the teacher in All quiet on the western front every time you open your mouth. Kid you’re like the English Goebbels.
Make peace alles you imbeciles 🫶✌️
If they’re happy to take a 39-year old man with a false hip and a blown Achilles Tendon, then I’ll sign up.
You claim you don’t like warmonger. Instead you’d rather all of NATO disarm so that your beloved Putin can roll over half of Europe without anyone to stop him. Piss on that!
You remind me of every other pathetic pro-Kremlin vatnik troll.
Make peace? Ever heard the saying “If you want peace, prepare for war”?
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Hiya Steve
A.I. Bionics is coming on leaps and bounds mate, you still might make it 😉
We’re fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian I don’t think there’s many left.
I think my enemies enemy is my friend is a better quote for this article.
I’m impressed by the Latin by the way. 🫶✌️
Might it not be a good idea to try to suggest Poland joins in on Tempest? Go the whole hog?
As a Pole, we don’t want any more defence treaties with the UK. We remember how we were treated before, during and after the ww2. Also, we ended up in communism for 45 yrs as a result of a cynical Churchils politics..no more!!!
You’re no pole.
But if anyone is reading, the UK sacrificed its empire for Poland. So yeah. Nice kremlin line there.
Who coined the term “Sitting War”? Instead of assisting us, you chose to remain on the island. As a UK, you haven’t sacrificed anything for Poland. The Polish people actively fought for the freedom of the UK. A prime example of this sacrifice is Squadron 303, which shot down the largest number of Luftwaffe aircraft during the Battle of Britain. Because someone has got different views doesn’t mean she is Russian, don’t be disrespectful.
Bore off Kremlin troll. The UK went to war over Poland, a war that was financially ruinous and that resulted in the loss of the empire. The only reasons 303 squadron flew in the battle of Britain was BECAUSE BRITAIN WENT TO WAR FOR POLISH INDIPENDENCE.
Oh and sat on the Island? The BEF was 400,00 strong, and the UK was the only nation to be engaged in ground combat operations against the Wehrmacht for the entire war.
I see no need to be respectful towards a Putin not farmer who is just regurgitating Kremlin talking points. Go back to Moscow.
On August 25, 1939, the United Kingdom and Poland signed an agreement of mutual assistance, meaning that the UK—and France, which had a separate agreement with Poland—would defend Poland in the event of military aggression from a foreign power. However, the UK did not fulfil its promises.
In 1994, the UK, Ukraine, and the USA signed the Budapest Memorandum, but again, the UK failed to uphold its commitments.
In 2003, Prime Minister Tony Blair led the UK in invading Iraq without a valid reason, seemingly for the sake of it.
In 2016, the UK decided to leave the EU, closing their borders to Europeans while opening them to the whole world.
Poland, rethink, who are you dealing with.
The UK literally entered worl war 2 over Poland you Putin Troll.
I’m from Poland and I tell you my opinion about the past: the WW2 in Europe could be avoided if France, Britain and Poland hit Nazi Germany in 1934 or 1935 before Hitler built his military mashine. Poland actually offered that solution to France but Paris refused. There is strong sentiment in Poland that we have been sold to Stalin but I’m not blaming Britain that much as it was Roosevelt who made the deal with Stalin
It’s getting crazy, the UK is signing a blitz of defence treaties which it no longer has any ability to deliver on. But perhaps in this case it’s actually a clever reversal of 1939 – Poland is now guaranteeing the independence of the UK! If we can rely on the Polish Army to support the UK in a crisis, that will free £billions from the defence budget for Starmer and Reeves to spend on popular Labour vote winners such as increasing gold plated public sector pensions and pay raises for nurses, teachers and train drivers.
Why Poles still aren’t able to join British troop? There are thousands of us willing to do so.
I suggest getting a UK passport if you want to join.
I know there rules. Hence my comment. Hence my point. There could be easier ways to join considering our relationship and the commitment.
But Ghurkas can join without passport and like she has said there are thousands of us in the UK so British army could potentially form at least one full brigade of Polish troops and that could solve some recruitment problems in your military