Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, met with his Polish counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
Minister Blair thanked Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz for Poland's ongoing hospitality to Canadian Armed Forces members, who are training members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on Polish soil under Operation UNIFIER. Since October 2022, Canada has deployed approximately 50 combat engineers to Poland to assist in the training of Ukrainian sappers. Since March 2023, CAF has deployed approximately 10 medical personnel to Poland as part of Polish-led medical training centered on advanced tactical medical skills and combat survivability.
By working together, Canada and Poland are helping Ukrainian troops to increase their military competencies. In Poland, the CAF is providing training on a range of basic and advanced engineering skills, including engineering reconnaissance, the use of explosives for demolition work, and demining; and teaching advanced tactical medical skills to bolster the Ukrainian military's ability to save lives.
These ongoing training efforts build on the CAF's deployment to Poland from April to July 2022, when up to 150 CAF members deployed to Poland and worked in reception centres operated by the Polish Territorial Defence Force, which coordinated the onward movement of Ukrainians refugees. Minister Blair also noted that the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has transported over 14 million pounds of Ukraine-bound military aid donated by Canada and its allies and partners, and commended Poland for its collaboration.
Minister Blair reaffirmed Canada's ironclad commitment to the NATO Alliance, and highlighted Canada's continued efforts to strengthen NATO's eastern flank - notably by leading the multinational enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battle Group in Latvia, which he just visited. Minister Blair thanked the Deputy Prime Minister for Poland's contributions to this Battle Group, which is an example of NATO's interoperability.
Quick Facts
- Canada was the first NATO country to approve Poland joining the NATO Alliance, in 1998.
- As part of NATO's strengthen deterrence and defence posture in the Eastern part of the Alliance, Poland contributes soldiers to the Canada-led NATO battle group in Latvia, as well as hosting a NATO battle group on Polish soil.
- Since 2017, Canada has served as Framework Nation for NATO's enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) in Latvia, leading a multinational battle group composed of ten nations: Albania, Canada, Czechia, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.
- The Canada-Poland Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding which was signed on October 11, 2022. The MOU creates new opportunities for Canadian and Polish military and civilian personnel to learn from one another, train together, and enable cross-industry defence collaboration to modernize military technology.
- The Canada-Poland relationship has a strong historical foundation that is rooted in the deep personal ties to Poland maintained by the 1 million strong Polish-Canadian community.
