On March 26, Poland and Germany will launch a "coalition of armored capabilities" as an initiative aimed at supporting Ukraine. This was stated by Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysh after talks with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, UNN reports with reference to TVP World.
On March 26, we, Poland and Germany, will activate as co-leaders a coalition of armored power to support Ukraine
"This is one of the most important coalitions that have been created; we are the two leading countries of this project, and other partners such as the UK, Sweden and Italy have joined it," added Kosinyak-Kamysh.
He called cooperation within NATO and the EU fundamental to European security and said it would be strengthened and developed. In this context, Kosiniak-Kamysz recalled the 5,000 German troops stationed in Lithuania as an example of strengthening the security of NATO's eastern flank, as well as Poland.
"Poland and Germany are taking responsibility for the rapid reaction force in Europe. By July, our battlegroup, consisting of 2,500 Polish and 2,500 German soldiers, will be ready for a rapid response," the Polish minister said.
He added that these forces are in line with the EU's strategic plan developed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and that in order for these forces to be a real support, they must be trained and achieve operational capabilities.
According to him, Poland and Germany will work together for a year to create a rapid response force.
In his turn, the German Defense Minister emphasized the need to prepare for any eventuality.
"No one knows for sure whether Russia will attack Europe, but we see that it can and wants to attack Ukraine and has been doing so for more than two years. Therefore, what we have to learn together as allies in Europe is to be ready for any threat, especially the threat coming from Putin's Russia in any year. This is a task that we have to solve, and this is what we are working on," said Pistorius.
He also emphasized the need to provide Ukraine with enough weapons for its defensive and offensive capabilities.
"This is a task that we will address tomorrow at the contact group on Ukraine's defense, but, of course, also as defense ministers at the upcoming meeting within the Weimar Triangle," the German defense minister said.