Poland

• Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have launched joint military exercises involving 8,000 NATO troops in response to Russian force mobilization along the eastern border, marking the largest Baltic-focused NATO drill this year. • Russian military intelligence reports indicate approximately 35,000 Russian troops have gathered near the Belarus-Poland border; NATO commanders assess this as a potential preparation for military action. • Pentagon officials have authorized increased US military presence in the region, with 2,500 additional American troops authorized for rapid deployment if tensions escalate further.

• NATO announced Friday the deployment of 5,000 additional personnel to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, citing concerns over Russian military buildups near the Ukraine border and increased reconnaissance flights in NATO airspace. • The alliance activated contingency protocols allowing individual member states to request reinforcements without full consensus; Poland alone will receive 2,500 troops, primarily from the United States and Germany. • Russia's Foreign Ministry condemned the deployment as "provocative" and pledged countermeasures, while NATO Secretary-General stated the move was "defensive and proportional" to regional security threats.

FC Basel and Polish stadium stop US rapper’s upcoming shows, after similar cancellations in France and UK over antisemitic commentsKanye West’s upcoming concerts in Poland and Switzerland have been cancelled, as a growing number of European countries have stopped or postponed the US rapper’s performances amid a furore over his past antisemitic comments.Swiss football club FC Basel, which is responsible for concerts and events that take place at its St Jakob-Park ground, told Reuters on Saturday that after reviewing a request for West to perform there in June, it decided against it. Continue reading...

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced 5,000 additional US troops to Poland on April 2, responding to Russian incursions 20 km into Ukraine near Lviv. • Deployment includes Abrams tanks and HIMARS systems, totaling 15,000 US forces in Eastern Europe. • Move signals NATO resolve as Ukraine reports 300 civilian deaths last week from shelling.

Poland's President Andrzej Duda vetoed legislation on March 14, 2026, blocking access to nearly €44 billion in EU defense loans, escalating tensions with his government. The move comes amid broader EU-US friction over Ukraine support and Middle East conflicts. Critics argue it weakens collective defense as Russia benefits from lifted sanctions. Warsaw anticipates legal challenges and potential EU funding cuts.