Poland and Sweden sign strategic partnership on defence, economy and support for Ukraine

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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

Poland and Sweden have signed a strategic partnership agreement to enhance cooperation on defence, economic development and support for Ukraine. They have also committed to bolstering security around the Baltic Sea and NATO’s eastern flank in response to Russian aggression.

“The war has completely changed the reality of our region, the reality of all of Europe. Our closest friends, partners and allies are the Scandinavian and Baltic countries,” said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk during a meeting with regional leaders, quoted by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

“For the first time, we are witnessing such a united and solid bloc of nations that, on the most challenging matters – such as the war in Ukraine – think in exactly the same way,” he added, quoted by Polskie Radio.

“Poland’s security is Sweden’s security,” added Tusk’s Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson, who treated the Polish prime minister to a boat ride at his country residence, where the agreement was signed.

The pact was signed by Tusk and Kristersson on Thursday, on the second day of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) summit, a format for regional cooperation between eight countries in the region.

The partnership underscores robust backing for Ukraine, including military training and strengthening defence production. Both leaders stressed the importance of European unity in supporting Ukraine’s aspirations to move close to the European Union and NATO.

They also expressed their support for democratic forces and civil society in Belarus, including independent media and human rights defenders, said Tusk’s office in a statement.

The leaders also discussed a “navy policing” programme for the Baltic Sea, an idea proposed by Tusk during the summit, aiming to monitor and protect the region. Recent incidents, such as damage to undersea cables, underscore the urgency of such measures.

Tusk noted that any such programme would align with NATO operations, reports Polskie Radio. He added that NATO and the EU, including Sweden and Poland, would not be frightened by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats over the possibility of new ballistic missiles.

“The fact that he so often uses such harsh threats in his rhetoric is more a sign of weakness than of strength,” Tusk said. “If we are frightened by Putin’s threats, it will be his victory…The loser is the one who is afraid.”

“Our security and our economies are deeply interconnected,” added Kristersson. “By signing a renewed strategic partnership, the ties between Poland and Sweden are stronger than ever before.”

Economic collaboration is another pillar of the agreement. The two nations committed to hosting business summits in 2025 and 2026 to enhance competitiveness, innovation, clean energy and digitalisation.

Poland and Sweden’s plan to collaborate on energy and climate in the Baltic Sea region includes joint efforts to advance new nuclear projects and promote green technologies, focusing on sustainable resources, a circular economy and disaster resilience.

“Thank you for your understanding of the need for an energy union in Europe that will make us truly competitive on energy prices,” said Tusk.

The deal also addresses migration, focusing on securing the EU’s external borders and preserving the Schengen area. “Poland and Sweden will work together to increase returns and prevent illegal migration,” Tusk’s office said.

The pact raises the cooperation between the two countries to the prime ministerial level for the first time, replacing the ministerial framework established in 2011, reports Polskie Radio.

Swedish media hailed the inclusion of Poland in the NB8 summit as timely, given the security challenges on NATO’s eastern flank. For Warsaw, it was a move that allowed it to expand beyond traditional formats such as the Central European Visegrad Group and the Weimar Triangle, which includes France and Germany.

Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

Main image credit: KPRM (under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 PL)