Relationship dossier
Poland
United Kingdom
Relationship assessment
Poland and the United Kingdom have a close security partnership, alongside concerns related to Brexit and Polish citizens’ rights.
Poland toward United Kingdom
+55Poland cooperates with the United Kingdom on defence and security under their 2017 bilateral treaty and through NATO, including on support for Ukraine.
United Kingdom toward Poland
+55The United Kingdom cooperates with Poland under the 2017 bilateral defence and security treaty and through NATO, and has reinforced Poland’s security in response to Russian aggression.
Overall relationship
+55The relationship is anchored by sustained NATO cooperation and a bilateral defence and security treaty, with shared support for Ukraine and efforts to strengthen Poland’s security. Brexit-related effects on Polish citizens in the United Kingdom are a source of concern but do not displace the security partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Poland and the United Kingdom maintain a close security relationship, including a 2017 bilateral defence and security cooperation treaty and cooperation through NATO. The United Kingdom has reinforced Poland’s security in response to Russian aggression, while both governments have supported Ukraine. Brexit and its effects on Polish citizens in the United Kingdom have been points of concern, but security cooperation is a defining feature of the relationship.
Areas of tension
- Brexit-related effects on Polish citizens’ rights and status in the United Kingdom.
Key developments
Poland and the United Kingdom signed a bilateral treaty on defence and security cooperation.
The United Kingdom reinforced Poland’s security in response to Russian aggression.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral defence commitments beyond NATO cooperation are unclear.
- The extent to which Brexit-related concerns continue to affect Polish citizens in the United Kingdom is uncertain.