New German-Polish defence agreement concluded

The geopolitical world order is changing dramatically. In these disruptive times, the Federal Government is focusing on reliable and cooperative partnerships. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasised at this year's Munich Security Conference: "Never again will we Germans walk alone. We will assert our freedom with our neighbours, our allies and our partners."

As part of this objective, the Federal Government has now adopted a defence cooperation agreement between Poland and Germany.

Reaffirming and expanding the partnership

The defence agreement emphasises the integration of both countries' defence policies into NATO and the EU. It reaffirms the mutual obligation to provide assistance in the event of an external attack in accordance with Article 5 of the NATO Treaty and Article 42 (7) of the EU Treaty.

The agreement also strengthens and deepens military cooperation in all dimensions. In the future, Poland and Germany will cooperate more closely in developing their capabilities and promote cooperation between their defence industries. The agreement also provides for joint training and exercises. A particular focus here is on the Baltic Sea region.

Germany and Poland will also cooperate more closely in crisis management and in responding to hybrid threats. In addition, structured exchange formats have been agreed between the defence ministries on all relevant defence issues.

A historic day

The defence agreement underscores the trusting relationship with Germany's neighbour Poland and close intra-European cooperation for peace, collective security and stability. It will be signed on 17 June 2026 - the 35ᵗʰth anniversary of the German-Polish Treaty on Good Neighbourship and Friendly Cooperation.