Poland ready to tackle ‘provocations’ as Russia-led drills start: defence minister

Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak on Friday said Poland was working closely with its NATO allies to deter potential provocations during the Russian-led Zapad-2021 military exercises.

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The seven-day Russian-Belarusian war games, which kicked off on Friday, “are specifically oriented in the western strategic direction,” Błaszczak [said].

“And so the Polish Army must be ready for any type of action,” he said, adding that Poland was beefing up its eastern frontier as well as developing defence and deterrence measures.

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“If you want peace, prepare for war,” he also said.

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“We remain in close coordination with NATO allies,” Błaszczak also said, “and the response of Poland and NATO will depend on how the situation on our frontier unfolds.”

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Officials say Poland must stay firm on Belarus border crisis as Russia drills troops

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz on Friday said the country must remain tough amid the migrant pressure on the Belarus border as the Russian-Belarusian exercises, Zapad-2021, were due to get under way.

Przydacz told public broadcaster Polish Radio that Poland had the support of the European Union and its executive arm, the European Commission, as it worked to deal with the border crisis.

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Polish PM to discuss Belarus border crisis with Germany’s Merkel: spokesman

Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will discuss the security of the European Union’s borders with Angela Merkel when the German chancellor visits Warsaw on Saturday, the Polish government spokesman has said.

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[Government spokesman, Piotr Müller] added that Poland enjoyed the support of “both the European Commission and NATO” amid a migrant surge.