23.10.2026
Czech Chief of Defence in Poland: priorities are collective defence and development of military capabilities
The Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces Lieutenant General Miroslav Hlaváč visited Poland and met with his counterpart General Wiesław Kukuła to discuss the development of military capabilities, air defence, common training exercises, and support of Ukraine through the training of its servicemembers. This was LTG Hlaváč’s first bilateral meeting abroad as the Chief of Defence.
Poland is one of Czech Republic’s key partners in defence and security. Both countries are connected geographically, but also through joint responsibility for the security of Central Europe and defence of NATO’s Eastern Flank. Further strengthening of this cooperation was the focus of the meeting of the two CHODs.
“Poland is our key partner, with whom we share responsibility for the security of our region. We wish to further develop concrete military cooperation, strengthen our capabilities and make sure, together, we are prepared to respond to both current threats and those to come,” said the Czech Chief of Defence.
Air Defence and Counter-UAS
One of the main topics was the development of air defence and the capability to respond to UAV-related threats. Poland represents an important partner for the Czech Armed Forces to share experience of building a multilayered air defence, interconnecting individual systems and integrating them into the Allied defence.
Both parties are committed to sharing experience from operation and deployment of these assets, developing counter-unmanned aerial systems capabilities, and strengthening cooperation among experts. The objective is for the systems to be capable of cooperating effectively to provide reliable coverage as part of NATO’s collective defence.
The significance of Czech-Polish cooperation already reflects in specific activities. The Czech Republic contributes to the security of NATO’s airspace, including through its air capabilities. The deployment of a Czech heli unit in Poland continues through November 2026.
“The Czech Republic and Poland have shared responsibility for security in the region. Our goal is to develop partnership and interoperability. A credible deterrence and defence readiness are the foundation of peace. We deeply appreciate the fact that the Czech Armed Forces was the first international partner to answer our call and deployed its helicopters to protect the air space,” General Kukuła said.
Expansion of common training
The two armed forces aim to foster common training and force development. Poland offered to send its units for training in the Czech Republic, including short notice activities. That way, both countries can strengthen their interoperability and readiness to respond to the current security situation.
The discussions also touched upon the possibility of including Czech engineer units in the building of defences in NATO’s Eastern Flank. The Czech side will now analyse the offer and is interested in further exchange of information and examining other possible fields of cooperation, including involvement in common experiments and testing of newly developed systems.
Continued support of Ukraine
The support of Ukraine is a significant strand of Czech-Polish cooperation. The Czech Armed Forces plans to continue the training of Ukrainian servicemembers in the Polish territory as part of EUMAM UA. Another option entails the participation of Czech logistic teams in the Polish logistic hub which coordinates Allied effort in supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Czech Republic and Poland seek to continue their cooperation with focus on tangible outcomes, exchange of experience, and strengthening of collective defence. The aim is for the units of the Czech Armed Forces and those of Polish Armed Forces to be able to effectively cooperate and jointly contribute to the security of both countries and, indeed, the Alliance as a whole.
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