Poland and UK to sign joint defense treaty as May visits Warsaw

The British prime minister described the pact as a 'powerful symbol of our continued close cooperation.'

British Prime Minister Theresa May | Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

LONDON — Poland and the U.K. will sign a new bilateral security and defense treaty at a joint summit in Warsaw on Thursday.

In remarks released by No. 10 ahead of the one-day talks, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May described the new treaty, which will promote cooperation on defense training and information sharing, as a “powerful symbol of our continued close cooperation.”

May visits Poland on Thursday — the day after the European Commission triggered the so-called Article 7 process against Poland, which could see Warsaw stripped of its voting rights in Brussels.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said May “placed great importance on respect for the rule of law” and would raise concerns with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during her visit.

U.K. Chancellor Philip Hammond, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson, Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Business Secretary Greg Clark will all attend the bilateral summit.

A new project to “detect and counter” Russian information operations will also be agreed during the visit, the No. 10. briefing note said.

The U.K. and Polish governments will each provide about £5 million for the initiative, which includes support for Belsat, a Polish-funded TV channel which No. 10 says provides “unbiased, free and frank reporting for Belarusians.”

In statements released to journalists ahead of the visit, May said she hoped Brexit would “serve as a catalyst” to strengthen the U.K.’s relationship with Poland.

She added that she wanted to work with Poland and other EU member countries to “protect our shared values, people and interests.”

“We are building a strategic partnership from a base of shared history and deep ties of friendship that will continue to flourish long after our departure from the EU,” she said.

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