The United Kingdom and Poland have signed a strategic partnership agreement covering foreign policy, security and defense cooperation, the UK government said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th July, 2023) The United Kingdom and Poland have signed a strategic partnership agreement covering foreign policy, security and defense cooperation, the UK government said on Wednesday.
"The partnership sets out joint priorities on issues ranging from Belarus to China, to cooperation on defence capability and operations. It builds on the 2017 UK-Poland Treaty on Defence and Security Cooperation and 3 decades of close cooperation," the government said.
The agreement dubbed the 2030 Partnership was signed by UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace for London and Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau and Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak for Warsaw at a ceremony in London.
"The partnership also will see cooperation towards building the next generation of capabilities for our armed forces; increasing the intensity and frequency of joint training exercises; strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence posture; and standing united in our approaches to the Indo-Pacific," the statement read.
In line with the "historic" nature of the UK-Poland partnership stretching to before World War 2, the UK currently has "hundreds" of troops deployed in Poland; it also deployed Challenger 2 tanks last year and is continuing to deploy Sky Sabre air defense systems at the moment, the government said.
In a meeting before the signing, the ministers discussed topics of mutual interest, such as support for Ukraine and NATO priorities ahead of the alliance's Vilnius summit, planned for next week.
In April, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a 1.9 billion Pounds ($2.4 billion) deal between the UK and Poland to provide the latter with a British-made air defense system.
