Poland completely closed its border with Belarus on Thursday. Joint military exercises known as "Zapad 2025" (West 2025) are due to begin in Belarus and Russia on Friday.
Warsaw anticipates more provocations, DW reports. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has described recent military exercises as “aggressive in terms of their military doctrine,” emphasizing that they simulate a potential seizure of the Suwałki Corridor.
The Suwałki Corridor is a narrow, 65-kilometer stretch of land located between Poland and Lithuania. It separates Belarus from Russia’s Kaliningrad region and serves as a crucial link between the Baltic states and the rest of NATO.
In response, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has demanded that Poland reopen its border with Belarus. Moscow has accused Warsaw of escalating tensions amid the West-2025 military drills and warned Poland to consider the consequences and reconsider its decisions.
Poland, in turn, has increased its military presence in the region and received backing from NATO allies.
