France and Poland fortify military alliance through treaty signed by Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk in Nancy.
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Emmanuel Macron, the French President, and Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister, inked a friendship agreement on May 9, 2025, in Nancy, France, intensifying the bond between the two nations. This treaty, reminiscent of those signed with Germany, Italy, and Spain, was signed at the city hall of Nancy, situated in Lorraine.
The treaty introduces a "mutual defense and assistance clause" to forge a "fully integrated defense partnership," a detail mentioned by President Macron following the signing. He further added that the agreement doesn't replace NATO or the European Union framework but serves to fortify cooperation to counter foreign interference, cyberattacks, or any threats to our democracies.
Macron emphasized that the "vital interests" of France, the basis for its nuclear deterrent strategy, encompass those of its "key European partners." This stance, he claimed, has been consistently upheld by his predecessors.
Donald Tusk welcomed the treaty, stating it would "strengthen European stability," and praised the "mutual guarantees in defense and cooperation in industry, disruptive technologies, and the nuclear field" it offers. Mr. Tusk also expressed the commitment of the two countries to the Ukrainian people, hoping the war would end soon.
The mutual defense clause of the treaty potentially opens the door for collaboration in nuclear deterrence, as announced by Donald Tusk before his departure for France. "The French nuclear deterrent has a European component, and with this treaty, we're strengthening the solidarity that makes operational what is already in Article 5 of NATO," Macron asserted in Nancy.
Macron intends to elevate the relationship with Warsaw to the same level as those already established with Germany, Italy, or Spain, through treaties like the Elysee (1963), Quirinal (2021), and Barcelona (2023). "Poland is our other crucial European partner. There was no reason, it was even an anomaly, to consider that we had a privileged treaty with Germany [strengthened in Aachen in 2019], that we had raised our relationship with Italy and Spain, but not with her," the Elysee explains.
Poland, a nation of approximately 38 million people, has launched an expedited modernization program for its military and has emerged as a significant player in Europe. Until now heavily reliant on the United States for defense, it has been shaken by the ambiguities generated by Donald Trump's indecisiveness towards Europe.
France aims to bolster military and diplomatic coordination in the region, no longer allowing the United States to dominate the dialogue with the Poles. Furthermore, it banks on a new market for its defense industry, as Warsaw is on the lookout for transport aircraft, refueling aircraft, or submarines.
Vital Interests
Warsaw exhibits keen interest in the French idea of a European nuclear umbrella. This proposition resonates positively with Donald Tusk and finds support in Berlin as well.
France stands as the only country in Western Europe, along with the United Kingdom, to be armed with nuclear weapons. Other European nations under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are currently under the American nuclear deterrent. Faced with transatlantic uncertainty, Macron stated his readiness to "open the strategic debate on the protection of our European allies by our deterrent."
Also Read | Article reserved for our subscribers The expansion of the French and British nuclear umbrella in Europe is garnering growing interest from allies. As its predecessors, it has highlighted on various occasions that the vital interests of France, at the heart of its deterrent doctrine, have a "European dimension" that could therefore include neighboring countries, even beyond. However, it has also emphasized that "whatever happens, the decision always remains in the hands of the President of the Republic."
Conscious of symbolism, Macron and Tusk signed the new treaty in a historically significant setting for both countries, bound by a century-old friendship. Nancy served as the residence of King of Poland Stanislas Leszczynski, who became the Duke of Lorraine after being exiled from his country, and father-in-law of King of France Louis XV. The encounter between Messrs Macron and Tusk took place on Place Stanislas, the architectural gem of the city.
The signing occurred a week before the presidential election in Poland, scheduled for May 18, for which the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, candidate of the Civic Coalition of Donald Tusk, is the leading contender.
Also Read | Article reserved for our subscribers Poland's ambition to become the "Eastern Shield" of Europe ( феноmen)
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- The friendship treaty between French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, signed in Nancy on May 9, 2025, is similar to past treaties with Germany, Italy, and Spain, aiming to establish a defense partnership and counter foreign threats.
- The treaty's "mutual defense and assistance clause" potentially allows for collaboration in nuclear deterrence, as France stands as the only country in Western Europe, along with the United Kingdom, to be armed with nuclear weapons.
- With the treaty, Poland, as a nation of approximately 38 million people, seeks to bolster its military and diplomatic relations, particularly in the acquisition of transport aircraft, refueling aircraft, or submarines from France.
- As Warsaw exhibits keen interest in the French idea of a European nuclear umbrella, the expansion of France's nuclear deterrent in Europe is gaining growing interest from allies, including Germany, yet the decision always remains in the hands of the French President.
