Poland, France, Germany and Italy signed a letter of intent to jointly develop long-range cruise missiles on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, D.C.
“The aim is to establish cooperation in the development of our key deep strike capability,” said Poland’s Defence Ministry.
This will lead to “joint projects regarding specific solutions that will allow filling gaps, reducing costs and shortening implementation times”.
“Today’s initiative lays the foundations for long-term integrated cooperation between our nations to strengthen European defence and deterrence capabilities by developing the sector’s industrial base,” wrote Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto.
A number of European countries eliminated intermediate-range cruise missiles from their arsenals after the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987. Poland and Germany were among those to destroy theirs in the 1990s.
But the treaty expired in 2019 after former US president Donald Trump withdrew from it, citing Russian non-compliance with its rules as well as an increasing military threat from China.
A day before the letter of intent was signed, it was announced that US long-range missiles would be deployed in Germany in 2026 as a temporary solution before Europe produced its own arsenal.
“The war in Ukraine shows that long-range strikes are a key issue for the defence of Europe,” said French defence minister Sebastien Lecornu after signing the letter of intent.
Germany’s Defence Ministry said the project would “contribute to stability and security in Europe”.
The NATO summit also saw the adoption of a declaration that contained many points relating to Poland’s security.
It confirms the establishment of a missile defence base in Redzikowo in northern Poland and its integration into the NATO defence system. It also highlights progress on the establishment of a Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC) in the Polish city of Bydgoszcz.
“Poland is mentioned in several places in the resolutions of the summit and this is proof of how important a partner we are today,” said Polish defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz.
NATO’s member states also vowed to coordinate their military support to Ukraine, confirmed arms supply to Kyiv worth EUR 40 billion and announced the establishment of a NATO High Representative to Ukraine. (Notes from Poland)