Polish PM warns of critical months ahead amid rising Russian threat

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced that the country is preparing for a range of scenarios, warning that the coming months could be critical amid growing tensions with Russia. Tusk said he was responding to media reports that Moscow might launch an armed provocation to test NATO’s resolve, based on U.S. intelligence.

The warnings highlight concerns about potential missile or drone strikes on Polish infrastructure or Russian forces moving into the NATO member state to pressure Ukraine’s Western allies.

Tusk noted that the country’s response is being coordinated with allies, including joint exercises with Lithuanian troops in late June. The exercise involved a tank and troops conducting a water‑crossing operation, underscoring Poland’s readiness for hybrid warfare scenarios.

Polish President Andrzej Duda is set to attend next week a NATO summit in Turkey, where leaders will discuss defence spending and continued support for Ukraine. Tusk previously said Russia might attack a NATO member state within months and warned that such an attack would trigger Article 5, obliging all NATO members to respond collectively.