Over the last weekend, reports surfaced in the German media suggesting that troops from Poland and the Baltic states might be deployed in Ukraine if Russia breaches the current frontlines. However, the Polish Ministry of Defence has categorically denied any such plans.

In response to inquiries from Wirtualna Polska regarding the German reports, the ministry stated, „We are not considering the idea of sending Polish soldiers to Ukraine; there are no such plans. We call for special caution regarding the credibility of information appearing in the media space.”

The speculation, initially reported by Der Spiegel, indicated that Baltic state politicians, during a security conference in Tallinn, accused Germany of being overly reserved in its military support for Ukraine. This includes Germany’s refusal to permit attacks on Russian targets using German weapons. 

Baltic politicians expressed concerns that they and Poland would prefer to intervene in Ukraine rather than wait for a Russian advance to reach their borders, a move that could potentially draw NATO into the conflict.

Retired Polish General Stanisław Koziej expressed concerns that such speculation might be a Russian provocation. He stressed that NATO, as a whole, is not prepared for such an engagement and insisted that Poland and other states should continue to support Ukraine militarily, albeit without deploying ground troops.

However, Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, Andrii Deshchytsia, told the Polish daily Gazeta Prawna that any troops from Poland and the Baltic states would be most welcome. He noted that some soldiers are already present as volunteers and that it would be logical for these countries to intervene should Russia breach the Ukrainian frontlines.

Paweł Wroński, the press spokesman for the Polish Foreign Ministry, has informed reporters that while Poland is not presently planning to deploy troops to Ukraine, he cannot entirely discount the possibility of a future scenario that may necessitate a Polish military presence in the region.

Image: Wojsko Polskie

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen