Poland, Germany to launch tank coalition in late March says minister
On March 26, Poland and Germany will activate an 'armour capability coalition,' focused on main battle tanks, as an initiative aimed at supporting Ukraine, Poland's defence minister announced on Monday.
Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz made the announcement following talks near Warsaw with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius.
"On March 26, we are activating as co-leaders, Poland and Germany, the armour capability coalition for support of Ukraine," the Polish minister told a joint press conference with Pistorius. "It is one of the most important coalitions that have been established; we are the two leading countries of this project, other partners have signed up for it, such as Great Britain, Sweden, and Italy."
Kosiniak-Kamysz said Pistorius's personal involvement in working with Poland was a sign of friendship, partnership and "thinking about what to do today to help Ukraine" as well as working for the security of Europe, of Nato countries and of "our civilisation and our future."
He described cooperation within Nato and the EU as fundamental to European security and said this would be strengthened and developed. In this context, he drew attention to 5,000 German military personnel currently stationed in Lithuania as an example of reinforcing the security of Nato's eastern flank as well as of Poland.
"Poland and Germany take responsibility for rapid reaction forces in Europe," he said. "By July, our battle group - 2,500 Polish troops and 2,500 German soldiers - will be ready to react rapidly."
He added that the force fulfilled a strategic EU plan formed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and that for the forces to represent realistic support, they had to be prepared and achieve operational capabilities.
He said that Poland and Germany would work together for a year to create the rapid reaction force. (PAP)
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