Poland And Finland Rebuild Their Security Systems Amid Threats From Russia
Poland is pushing for a permanent deployment of American troops on its territory. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met at the Pentagon. One of the main topics of the talks is the creation of an American military base in Poland. Warsaw expects that a permanent US military presence will strengthen the security of NATO’s eastern flank. The Alliance is also stepping up patrols in the Baltic Sea, protecting underwater infrastructure and tracking suspicious activity by vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet. UATV English has the details.
A permanent US military base in Poland was first discussed back in 2019, during Donald Trump’s first presidential term. It was envisioned that 3,000-5,000 American servicemembers would be stationed there. The project wasn’t realized at the time, but seven years later, the decision was made to return to it. Warsaw is ready to take on substantial construction costs for the facility. The project’s preliminary cost is estimated at over €3 billion. Poznań, Lower Silesia, and West Pomerania are being considered as locations.
“Deploying American soldiers in Poland is still tied to a reduction in the number of US troops in Europe. This week we’re expected to hear how many American soldiers will be withdrawn from Spain, Italy, and Germany. And in Poland, on the border with Czechia and Germany — far from direct threats — a base is being built. The concept of ‘Fort Trump’ was created back in 2019. And all Polish political forces agree that the presence of an American military base on Polish soil is a step that strengthens Poland’s security,” explained former Polish government member and former secretary of the Polish delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Piotr Kulpa.
The security of Baltic region states is a NATO priority. To protect underwater cables and power lines, the Alliance launched the Baltic Sentry mission early last year. Its main task is to detect suspicious actions by Russian vessels, particularly tankers and cargo ships linked to Moscow’s shadow fleet. As Finnish Navy commander Tuomas Tiilikainen notes, this has already forced the Russians to reduce their activity. The admiral currently sees the greatest danger not so much in possible sabotage, but in the risk of accidents involving old Russian tankers.
“Over the past six months, we’ve noticed that Russian naval patrol activity has declined — maintenance problems and difficulties maintaining combat readiness are taking their toll. Right now, the biggest threat is rather unprofessional shadow fleet crews and tankers. Very old tankers. They could cause something like a natural disaster if such a vessel runs aground,” Tuomas Tiilikainen told Sky News.
Finland is also working on strengthening its land border with Russia. In particular, it plans to build extensive defense lines and install anti-tank obstacles following the Ukrainian model. The main goal is to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. In addition, the country has launched a large-scale reorganization of its Army and the training of reservists.
“We’ve raised combat readiness and, over two years, retrained 60,000 people. We’ve also quickly started replenishing stockpiles of critically important materials. Finland is currently modernizing its Army, a process that will continue until the end of 2030. The basic approach — deterring an attack through readiness — hasn’t changed. Only the required scale has changed,” Finnish Army commander Pasi Välimäki told Bloomberg.
The United Kingdom is also calling for strengthened defense and preparation for possible escalation. UK Chief of the Defence Staff Richard Knighton believes London has not yet sufficiently accounted for the threat from Russia and needs to catch up with European allies who are already adapting their armed forces to new conditions. In his assessment, Moscow is increasingly inclined toward risky actions, making the strengthening of military capability a matter of utmost priority.
“We’re talking about targeted killings, sabotage, and cyberattacks. These are entirely real actions by the Russian state, evidence of which we see in Europe and, to some extent, in the United Kingdom. This is the most dangerous period I can recall in my entire adult life. The threat, primarily from Russia, but also in a broader global context, is growing. The stronger we are, the higher the likelihood of deterring Russia from trying to test our resolve,” Financial Times quotes Richard Knighton as saying.
Within the Alliance, there’s increasing talk of the need not simply to react to Moscow’s actions, but to make any potential attack too risky for the aggressor. Strengthening borders, new defensive lines, and increased patrols — Europe is gradually rebuilding its security system and now betting on strength capable of stopping the Kremlin.
Read also: Anti-Tank Ditches And Fortifications: Finland Plans To Protect Its Border With Russia Following Ukraine’s Example
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12 of November 2026
