OREANDA-NEWS The Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary met today (Thursday 12 October) with their Polish counterparts for talks on security and defence co-operation.

Boris Johnson and Sir Michael Fallon hosted Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski and Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz in London.

The Foreign Secretary and Mr Waszczykowski discussed areas of shared interest including European security, joint work on the Western Balkans, and countering Russian influence in Eastern Europe.

During their meeting, the Defence Secretary and Mr Macierewicz discussed increasing military ties and co-operation, in particular working towards a Defence Capability and Industrial Partnership to strengthen co-operation between UK and Poland defence industries.

They also progressed talks on the Defence and Security Co-operation Treaty, which the Prime Minister will sign at the next UK-Poland inter-governmental meeting in December.

Formalising the already strong relationship between the 2 countries, the treaty will encourage greater collaboration and joint military training and exercising.

Sir Michael also renewed the UK’s commitment to NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence with 150 British troops deployed in Poland to support the US-led Battlegroup. Over the next week, the next squadron of soldiers from the Light Dragoon’s B Squadron, based in Catterick, will arrive in Poland. From 20 October they will stand alongside the US and other NATO allies, deterring any potential threats of Russian aggression.

The UK-Poland Quadriga also saw all 4 ministers come together for further discussions, including planning for the upcoming Prime Minister-led UK-Poland inter-governmental consultations in December.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

UK-Poland relations are at an all-time high and will only get stronger over the coming years.

We also look forward to working together even closer on the biggest global issues as our likeminded ally Poland takes up its seat on the UNSC in January.

This meeting was another demonstration of the UK’s unbreakable commitment to European security, working with our allies such as Poland to ensure the stability and prosperity of our continent.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

The UK and Poland have a long and historic military relationship. Our troops fought together in the First and Second World Wars and, with the next squadron of soldiers heading to Poland, we will keep standing by our NATO allies deterring any threats of aggression.

We want to further our already strong relationship and today will agree a capability partnership to boost both our defence industries and work towards finalising the Defence and Security Co-operation Treaty.