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Leaders from Germany and Poland signed a defense deal on Wednesday in an attempt to strengthen both countries amid the growing threat of Russian power. As NATO allies and EU partners, Germany and Poland felt responsible for both the region and the continent, according to a joint statement released Wednesday. Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine fundamentally altered Europe’s geopolitical reality, the statement added.
Strong German-Polish cooperation is essential to build a truly secure and effective deterrence on the eastern flank, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Wednesday. The likes of this defense agreement have never been seen before, he added. The agreement will allow NATO forces to reach the eastern flank—the easternmost border nations of NATO and the EU—more quickly in the event of a crisis. It would also allow the Baltic Sea to be better protected and the East Shield—a defense initiative to protect Poland’s eastern border—to be strengthened, according to a Wednesday statement from Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
What exactly does the agreement include? Pistorius referenced several plans under the agreement aimed at bolstering defense capabilities. Germany and Poland were jointly committed to extending NATO’s fuel system to the Baltic states to guarantee a secure fuel supply in the event of an attack, he said.
The allies also planned to start constructing defensive positions on the border with Russia and Belarus over the summer, Pistorius said. Germany and Poland also planned to boost cooperation as joint users of the Patriot air defense system. Germany is also working to modernize the Taurus cruise missile and expand production for longer-flight guided missiles, Pistorius said.
The allies also planned to improve cross-border infrastructure and expand the transport network for entrepreneurs and citizens in both countries, according to the joint statement. These improvements will increase social mobility, promote trade, and also strengthen the militaries of both Poland and Germany, the statement added.
Dig deeper: Listen to Mary Muncy’s report on The World and Everything in It about the EU launching its largest rearmament in generations as Russian threats grow.