UK and Poland sign Northolt Treaty on defence
On 27 May 2026, the UK Prime Minister hosted Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk at RAF Northolt and a nearby military museum, according to the UK Government's account of the visit. The setting mattered. RAF Northolt is closely tied to the story of Polish pilots in Britain during the Second World War, including the 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. If you are trying to read this meeting beyond the formal language, that history is the first clue. The two governments wanted to show that this was not just a routine diplomatic stop. It was a visit built around memory, alliance and the idea that old wartime links still shape how the UK and Poland work together now.
The leaders began by reflecting on the long relationship between the two countries and on the links between RAF Northolt and Britain's Polish community. In the official readout, the UK Prime Minister said that earlier military co-operation helped build the friendship the two countries share today. They then turned to the new Northolt Treaty, which they signed together. Downing Street described it as a generational strengthening of defence and security co-operation. **What this means:** the treaty is being presented as more than a symbolic gesture; it is meant to show that London and Warsaw want to plan and act more closely together as Europe's security worries grow.
The readout says the treaty should strengthen NATO and European security, especially against 'hybrid and modern threats'. That phrase can sound vague, so it helps to slow down. NATO is the military alliance that includes both the UK and Poland, and hybrid threats usually means pressure that falls short of open war, such as cyber attacks, sabotage, disinformation or interference with infrastructure. Both prime ministers also said Europe needs to do more inside NATO if it wants the continent to feel secure. They agreed that higher defence spending by allies matters, but that money on its own is not enough. Countries also need trust, shared planning and stronger ties with one another.
Ukraine was another major part of the discussion. The two leaders repeated their support for the Ukrainian people and condemned Russia's continued aggression. They also said that any peace must be just and lasting, not simply quick. That point matters because the war is not being treated here as a distant conflict. For both the UK and Poland, Ukraine is tied directly to the future of European security. In plain terms, their message was that peace cannot mean rewarding invasion or leaving the same danger in place for later.
The meeting also moved into the UK's wider relationship with Europe. According to the Government's summary, the Prime Minister spoke about Britain's ambition to be closer to the European Union in ways that protect security and improve prosperity, and he welcomed Donald Tusk's support for that approach. **What this means:** this was not framed as a debate about reversing Brexit. It was framed as a practical question: can the UK work more closely with European partners where shared risks are obvious, especially on defence, trade and economic stability? In this meeting, the answer from both sides was yes.
The leaders then discussed the Middle East, including the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, and said the ceasefire needed to hold. The Prime Minister called for a swift diplomatic resolution that could lead to a lasting settlement. The Strait of Hormuz matters because it is one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes, so instability there can spill well beyond the region. By the end of the visit, both leaders said they looked forward to meeting again soon. Taken together, the message from RAF Northolt was fairly clear: the UK and Poland want to tie shared history to present-day security, from NATO and Ukraine to Europe's future relationship with Britain and the wider risks coming from the Middle East.