France, Poland Pledge Joint Defense Initiatives Under New Strategic Agreement

(MENAFN- AzerNews) French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk signed a new strategic partnership agreement on Friday in the French city of Nancy, pledging to deepen collaboration in defense, energy, and industrial resilience.

Macron described the renewed Franco-Polish partnership as an “alliance of the heart,” calling the agreement a major step forward in bilateral ties and a shared vision for a more autonomous and secure Europe.

“We are forging lasting solidarity built on trust shaped through recent crises,” Macron said at a joint press conference with Tusk.

The treaty introduces a mutual assistance clause reinforcing commitments under both NATO and the European Union, while also calling for greater European strategic autonomy. Macron said it will speed up joint investments in Europe's defense manufacturing capacity, including weapons and ammunition production.

“Our goal is an integrated European defense partnership,” Macron noted, clarifying that the initiative complements rather than competes with NATO or the EU.

He emphasized the need for Europe to enhance its security capabilities, especially in light of uncertain U.S. foreign policy commitments.

“We hope the United States remains a committed ally,” Macron said.“But Europe must reduce its dependency on others' unpredictable decisions.”

On Ukraine, Macron proposed a 30-day ceasefire as a starting point toward peace, highlighting the need for guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression. He noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had already accepted the proposal unconditionally and urged Russia to follow suit.

Prime Minister Tusk echoed Macron's call for stronger European defense cooperation, stressing that France would be Poland's key partner in expanding its military strength. He reaffirmed Poland's dedication to NATO while emphasizing the value of a robust European defense pillar.

“Poland is committed to building Europe's strongest defense force-not as a rival to NATO but as a reinforcement of it,” Tusk said.

He also announced upcoming joint initiatives with France, including shared weapons procurement and closer collaboration between defense industries. Plans for joint military exercises are under review, and both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the mutual defense provisions outlined in the treaty.

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