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Poland to host Bergen Group meeting next week: officials

27.10.2026 23:45
Poland will host the second meeting of the so-called Bergen Group next week, bringing together the United States and NATO allies that are among the biggest contributors to the alliance's defence spending and military capabilities, Polish officials said on Tuesday.
Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz
Władysław Kosiniak-KamyszCezary Piwowarski/Polskie Radio

Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that Poland would host the meeting in Warsaw, saying the United States had asked Poland to organise the gathering.

He said he would hold a series of consultations with allies in the coming days, including within the Bergen format.

Defence ministers from Poland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and the United States are expected to attend, he said.

The Bergen Group format was initiated by the United States to discuss NATO's future among countries that make major investments in defence and military procurement.

Deputy Defence Minister Paweł Zalewski later said the second meeting would take place in Kraków, southern Poland, next week and that Denmark would join the format.

The Bergen Group was initiated by Elbridge Colby, the US under secretary of defence for policy. Its original members are the United States, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Zalewski said the meeting's being held in Poland demonstrated how closely the allies were cooperating.

"We are talking about very sensitive issues, absolutely crucial issues. Our relations with the Americans today are the best in history, they have never been this good, our relations with the Pentagon have never been this good," Zalewski said in an interview with Polish private broadcaster Radio Zet.

He described the Bergen Group as comprising countries that make the biggest contribution to NATO's land capabilities and have significant industrial capacity to develop military capabilities for the alliance.

The exclusion of Britain, France and the Baltic states from the group's initial talks had raised concerns about possible divisions within NATO, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

(gs) 

Source: IAR/PAP