In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, France and Poland strengthened their connections with one another on Friday, May 9, when they signed a treaty binding both countries to mutual support in the event of an aggressor assault. French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, two of the most ardent European supporters of Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, signed the agreement in the eastern French city of Nancy.
Macron insisted that the “mutual defence” clause was one of the treaty’s main features and that it was in addition to the safeguards provided by the European Union and NATO. Alongside Tusk, Macron stated that it “reinforces what already exists today” and that it “does not substitute for NATO or the EU.” Additionally, he implied that soldiers might be mobilised rapidly, saying, “I do not doubt that yes, such a deployment would be possible in the face of aggression and if the worst were to happen.”
The deal, according to Tusk, was “a historic event.” “I am profoundly convinced (…) that France and Poland will be able to count on each other in all circumstances, good and bad,” he stated. Prior to this, Tusk had praised the “mutual security guarantees” provision, discussing what would happen “in the case of an attack against one of our countries.” The mutual assistance clause, he said, is “the very essence of this treaty.” “In the case of an attack against Poland or France, the two countries commit to providing mutual assistance, including military assistance,” he stated.
Poland, which shares a land border with Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad and has frequently warned that it too may be the target of Russian attack, is very interested in such protection.
Potential for mutual nuclear deterrence
Macron, the head of the EU’s sole nuclear weapons state, also hinted that such support would include France’s atomic arsenal. “The interests of our main partners are integrated in deciding what our vital interests are,” he stated. When asked if France’s nuclear weapons deterrent might provide Poland with protection, Tusk had responded that the pact “also opens up the possibility of cooperation in that area.”
Since US President Donald Trump made it plain that Europe should do more to secure its own security, such alliances have become even more crucial. Furthermore, Macron presented a negative image of Putin’s desire for peace when the US, supported by its European allies, suggested an unconditional 30-day truce between Russia and Ukraine. “Instead of supporting peace, President Putin supports war. The harsh remarks he made, and the everyday realities simply serve to highlight that,” he remarked.
Poland, the emerging military powerhouse of the EU
Since Tusk, a former president of the European Council, took over as prime minister in late 2023, ending years of the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party’s reign, France and Poland have become closer. As Ukraine battles off Russia’s invasion, the pact shows a deepening cooperation between Ukraine’s friends and two of the European Union’s major countries. “This treaty will lift the Franco-Polish partnership to a high level of ambition in strategic areas for our two countries and for Europe, particularly defense and energy,” the president of France stated. “Game-changer” and “historic,” Tusk described the deal on Wednesday.
Poland, a NATO member, may have the largest army in the EU over the next ten years, according to analysts. According to NATO figures, the Polish army will have 216,000 soldiers in 2024, which is already greater than the German army’s 186,000 and the French army’s 205,000. By 2035, it hopes to have 300,000 troops.
There is also a lot of symbolism in the place and time of the treaty signing. During the 18th century, the ousted Polish monarch Stanislaw I, who was also the father-in-law of the French king Louis XV, governed Nancy, which is located in the eastern Lorraine area. As Duke of Lorraine, he designed Nancy’s main plaza, which is now one of the most magnificent in all of France. It is named Place Stanislas in his honour.
