Poland and Czech Republic Align Positions Ahead of NATO Summit

Poland and the Czech Republic will present a united front at the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara in July, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and his Czech counterpart, Jaromir Zuna, announced after bilateral talks in Warsaw.

According to the PAP news agency, the meeting served as preparation for the Alliance summit and for Thursday’s meeting of defense ministers from the Visegrad Group (V4) in Budapest. Both countries also expressed an interest in revitalizing the regional platform.

The ministers confirmed that their positions were aligned on key security issues. They identified the expansion of fuel pipelines from western Germany toward Poland, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states as a strategic priority in response to the continued threat from Russia.

Kosiniak-Kamysz also praised Czech solidarity, including Prague’s deployment of troops and attack helicopters to help protect Poland’s borders. The support is part of a NATO operation launched after Russian drones violated Polish airspace last year.

The ministers also discussed the integration of F-35 fighter jets. Poland already has the aircraft, while the Czech Republic expects to receive its first jets in 2029, opening the way for joint pilot training.

Ukraine was another key topic. Kosiniak-Kamysz, who also serves as deputy prime minister, thanked Prague for understanding Warsaw’s position that relations with Kyiv and mutual solidarity must work both ways.

In addition to their political consensus, the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation between their defense industries and armed forces. They also backed a possible future edition of the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program that would include grants as well as credit lines, Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

(max)