Poland's Defense Minister on War Readiness
Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said in an interview with the Super Express newspaper, published August 17, that Poland is actively preparing for the possibility of conflict, stating, "We are preparing for war, hoping that it never happens." He emphasized that Poland is "not building an army for press conferences" but rather one "ready to conduct national defense operations under extremely unfavorable conditions." Tomczyk added that all efforts in energy, infrastructure, and the military sphere aim to ensure the country's security in the event of "potential armed aggression."
Deterrence Strategy and Defense Spending
The Polish Embassy in Washington told Fox News Digital that Warsaw's accelerated defense preparations are intended to deter potential aggression rather than signal that conflict is inevitable. The embassy pointed to Poland's defense spending, which is nearly 5% of its GDP, and cited the Latin principle "Si vis pacem, para bellum" — "If you want peace, prepare for war" — saying that, given Russia's war in Ukraine and what Poland views as Moscow's imperial ambitions, strengthening deterrence is the country's only sound strategy.
Eastern Shield: Fortifying Borders
According to TASS, Tomczyk also mentioned that Poland is working on a comprehensive SAN drone defense system as part of the Eastern Shield project, which envisions constructing defensive lines along the borders with Russia and Belarus. He said that 80% of SAN's capabilities are intended for wartime use.
The Eastern Shield program, announced in May 2024, is estimated to cost 10 billion zlotys (about $2.5 billion), with work scheduled for completion in 2028. Plans include digging trenches, laying minefields, installing anti-tank obstacles, and creating an active surveillance system along the country's eastern border. The first work began on the border with Russia's Kaliningrad Region in early November 2024, and by the end of that month, the Polish government announced the completion of the first section, where 3,500 concrete anti-tank obstacles had been installed.
Russian Denials and Wider Tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a TASS-organized meeting with the heads of the world's leading news agencies, stressed that claims Russia was allegedly preparing to attack Europe were "not merely nonsense but a provocation and disinformation" intended to deceive people.
A European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to Fox News Digital, backed Tomczyk and said Poland sees a pattern of escalating Russian pressure across multiple fronts. The diplomat cited Russian disinformation, cyberattacks, sabotage, air defense tests, and nuclear rhetoric, and said Russia and Belarus would attack Poland "without hesitation" if they saw a chance.
Retired Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, warned that Russia may provoke to test NATO unity, and said NATO and the U.S. are not ready for the level of drone warfare Russia is waging against Ukraine.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, in comments carried by the Associated Press on July 15, warned of possible limited Russian attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltics or Poland. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, also per the AP, said Warsaw was preparing "very intensively for various scenarios."
Separately, Russia's embassy in Britain threatened "consequences" after The Times reported that British-made drones were used by Ukraine for long-range strikes inside Russia, as Reuters reported on August 18. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow had the right to regard direct British involvement in strikes on Russian territory as participation in the war. Russian state TV host Vladimir Solovyov called for using Russia's Poseidon weapon against Britain.
The article also describes NATO Article 4 and Article 5 provisions, which cover consultation in case of a threat and collective defense in case of an armed attack.
Fox News Digital reached out to Russian and British embassies but got no response.