After their talks at Downing Street, the two leaders issued a joint statement.
“The UK and Poland today announce the beginning of a new era in their relationship, with a commitment to creating ever deeper ties between our peoples and to revolutionise our cooperation on defence and security,” Duda and Johnson said.
Referring to Russia's assault on Ukraine, they added: “As Europe faces its biggest security crisis in decades, with a fellow European democracy under attack, Poland and the UK stand side by side.”
‘Military cooperation reaches new level’
Duda and Johnson went on to state:
“We consider our bilateral defence co–operation to be strategic in nature and are resolved to take it to a new level.”
They said: “We reiterate our strong commitment to work on Poland’s acquisition of new frigates and the Narew air defence programme as flagship industrial and technical initiatives in vital areas for our mutual security.”
Poland-UK commission to support Ukraine
Duda and Johnson also proposed “a Poland–UK Joint Commission to support Ukraine with the long–term co–ordination of arms supplies and training, help Ukraine to identify its needs and modernise its military.”
UK to help Poland with assistance to Ukrainian refugees
Moreover, Britain pledged to “triple its support to Poland to £30 million (EUR 36 million) to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian refugees temporarily located in Poland, including temporary shelter, education and other basic services.”
Poland-UK cooperation ‘increased dramatically’
Duda and Johnson stated that Poland and Britain “consider each other among the closest of our European partners, and are resolved to face the future together. Our cooperation has increased dramatically – demonstrating our commitment to helping the people of Ukraine as well as to each other.”
The Polish president told the media that both he and Johnson were "shaken by what happened in Ukraine's Bucha," Poland's PAP news agency reported.
Duda said Ukraine had to be supported "politically and in material terms," while Russia must be hit with "really effective sanctions, namely on hydrocarbons."
He noted Poland had announced it would wean itself off Russian energy by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Britain on Wednesday said it wanted to renounce Russian oil and coal by the end of 2022, with Russian gas to be shaken off soon after.
Warsaw and London remain in regular contact following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss visited Poland earlier this week, and said that Warsaw "was right" about Putin's "malign intent," according to the PAP news agency.
Thursday was day 43 of the Russian assault on Ukraine.
Poland on Thursday reported it had welcomed nearly 2.55 million refugees fleeing Russia's attack on Ukraine.
The Polish president last month signed into law a measure to offer wide-ranging support to Ukrainians escaping the Russian invasion of their country.
The measure grants them legal residence in Poland and ensures access to education, healthcare and social benefits.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, prezydent.pl
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.