Poland and Germany agree to increase military aid to Ukraine

Poland and Germany have agreed to cooperate on strengthening assistance to Ukraine, in particular in the military sphere.

This is stated in the "Polish-German Action Plan", adopted as a result of the intergovernmental consultations held on July 2 in Warsaw, the correspondent of Ukrinform reports.

"Poland and Germany will cooperate to increase practical military support to Ukraine," the document states.

In particular, both countries will take part in the creation of a joint NATO-Ukraine analysis, training, and education center (JATEC) in Bydgoszcz. They also intend to cooperate in various international coalitions in support of Ukraine.

"We will cooperate to ensure the effectiveness of NATO's new role in coordinating support to Ukraine, as well as the effectiveness of the relevant EU tools (the Aid Fund for Ukraine, the EU Military Assistance Mission to Ukraine - EUMAM Ukraine), and the implementation of joint procurements)," the document says.

In addition, Warsaw and Berlin will coordinate their work within the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group (UDCG) and various EU instruments.

"We will seek opportunities for cooperation in every justified case and in every area of ​​the proposed support, including the supply of weapons, training, and maintenance," the Polish-German action plan states.

As it is emphasized, the parties will continue to strengthen cooperation at the governmental level regarding the provision of military support to Ukraine, in particular in the context of the exchange of experience in the maintenance and repair of Leopard 2 tanks, which were transferred to Ukraine.

"Poland and Germany will also seek to optimize the repair and maintenance of Leopard 2 tanks in the context of Ukraine's needs, which arose as a result of Russia's unjustified war of aggression," the document states.

The joint action plan emphasizes that Russia's unprovoked and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and the threat it poses to the security of the Euro-Atlantic area are "one of the greatest challenges of our generation."

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"Therefore, we must prevent the failure of our response to it, because otherwise it will spread far beyond the borders of Ukraine. To counteract this, we will deepen cooperation regarding the possibilities and scope of our response to the challenges caused by Russia's attack on Ukraine, both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of the EU and NATO," both countries emphasize.

As stated in Warsaw and Berlin, Russia's war of aggression "fundamentally changed relations with Moscow."

"Russia poses the most direct threat to Euro-Atlantic security," the document states.

Also, Poland and Germany are in favor of strict compliance with sanctions against Russia "and the joint preparation of proposals for new restrictive measures until the Russian Federation stops its aggression against Ukraine." In addition, both countries are “determined” to use the profits from the assets of the Russian Federation abroad to further support Ukraine.

Both countries also welcome the official opening of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and support the “immediate opening” of negotiations on key issues with both countries.

The document emphasizes that NATO will support Ukraine in implementing the necessary reforms on its way to future membership.

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 04/07/2024