Rome and Warsaw are increasingly aligned. Bilateral cooperation between Italy and Poland has emerged as a cornerstone for continental security, playing a pivotal role in strengthening European defense and industrial strategy.
The big picture: Beyond aerospace into dual-use innovation. The conclusions of the 6th Italian-Polish Defence & Dual Use Forum in Warsaw have underscored the deep evolution of the bilateral relationship, which has expanded from an aerospace showcase into land, maritime, underwater, and dual-use domains.
- Organization and support: The event was promoted by the Italian Embassy in Warsaw, the ICE Agency, and the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Poland (CCIIP), with the Leonardo Group serving as the strategic partner.
- System Italy on the ground: The forum featured 35 Italian companies and organizations, showcasing an industrial sector that combines major prime contractors with innovative SMEs.
- Surging numbers: Bilateral commercial trade exceeded €36 billion in 2025, while aerospace trade reached €677 million, with Italian aerospace exports to Poland climbing from €58 million in 2021 to €364 million in 2025.
Between the lines: Geopolitics, threats, and critical infrastructure. Italian Ambassador to Poland Luca Franchetti Pardo highlighted how Russia’s aggression against Ukraine continues to fundamentally reshape defense planning, crisis preparation, and civil resilience.
- Connecting borders and seas: Italy and Poland share a core necessity to protect borders and critical infrastructure, from ports to subsea cables and energy pipelines connecting the Mediterranean to the Baltic Sea.
- Deterrence and industrial chains: By combining major industrial players with specialized supply chains, both nations aim to jointly develop technologies in maritime situational awareness, cyber security, and advanced systems, translating threat assessments into credible European deterrence.
Zoom in: Italian know-how and Poland’s modernization. As noted by Roberto Cafiero, director of the ICE Agency office in Warsaw, Italy presents a clear message: European defense requires robust industrial partnerships anchored in dual-use technologies.
- Modernization opportunities: Poland’s ambitious defense modernization plans offer major opportunities for collaboration, leveraging Italy’s highly specialized industry spanning advanced manufacturing, electronics, autonomous systems, and critical infrastructure protection.
- Parliamentary perspective: Italian MP Emanuele Loperfido, speaking at the Warsaw forum, emphasized that European security increasingly relies on industrial strength and allied cooperation, defining Italy and Poland as Europe’s two strategic gateways facing the Mediterranean and the Baltic, with shared interests within the Three Seas Initiative.
Why it matters: The synergy between Rome and Warsaw goes beyond a successful bilateral axis—it serves as an operational engine for the European Union’s strategic autonomy.
- By aligning geopolitical vision with industrial capacity, Italy and Poland are forging a structured partnership capable of confronting current crises while driving long-term technological development.
