Poland and the Baltic states have asked Brussels to bankroll new fortifications along the EU’s eastern frontier, warning that Russia and Belarus are using sabotage and migrant “weaponization” to probe the bloc’s security.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.Photo: PAP/Piotr Nowak
Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the leaders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia wrote to European Council and Commission chiefs ahead of an EU summit on 26-27 June, calling for joint financing of Poland’s Eastern Shield project and the Baltic Defense Line.
“The Kremlin is testing our deterrence through destabilization and sabotage, particularly on the EU’s eastern borders,” the letter said, adding that Minsk and Moscow also pressure the region by funneling migrants across frontiers.
Two-layer plan
Poland’s Eastern Shield envisages bunkers, anti-tank obstacles and surveillance systems along its northern and eastern borders. The Baltic Defense Line, backed by Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn, would fortify NATO’s northeastern flank against a potential incursion.
The leaders said the twin schemes aim to “prevent, disrupt and deter” aggression and should be treated as collective EU security projects rather than national undertakings.
Summit focus
EU presidents and prime ministers will meet next week to discuss the war in Ukraine and ways to boost Europe’s defense industry.
Warsaw and the Baltic capitals argue that front-line infrastructure deserves the same status – and funding – as ammunition purchases and joint arms projects.
Brussels has already channeled billions into weapons for Kyiv, but major spending on fixed defenses inside the EU would mark a shift in policy.
Diplomats say some Western governments worry that border fortifications could divert resources from offensive capabilities.
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Source: IAR, Polskie Radio 24
Radio Poland