Poland reopens border with Belarus

The border was closed for two weeks

On the night of September 25, Poland will resume the work of land and railway crossings on the border with Belarus, which have been closed for more than two weeks. This was announced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Warsaw closed the border on September 11 - against the backdrop of the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises "Zapad". Warsaw then explained the decision on grounds of national security.
The closure of the border was announced even before the incident with about 20 drones violating Polish airspace on the night of September 10.

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Decision under economic pressure

The active phase of the exercise ended on September 16, and, according to Tusk, the level of threats has decreased. “We will not hesitate if tensions rise again,” the prime minister said.

He stressed that the government is also taking into account economic factors: the closure of border crossings has led to disruptions in trade and delays in transport flows.

From midnight, traffic is expected to resume through two road checkpoints, as well as the restoration of railway traffic.

Security near the borders with Russia

The Zapad exercises, which Russia and Belarus hold every few years, have traditionally caused concern among NATO countries. Warsaw fears that under the guise of maneuvers there may be preparations for military provocations.

Poland has strengthened security at its eastern border in recent years, viewing it as the front line for the security of the entire EU. Hybrid threats - from the use of migrants to drone attacks - have become a key factor in national defense policy, Polish authorities say.

NATO calls the Russian-Belarusian maneuvers a “show of force on the eastern flank.” According to representatives of the military bloc, the allies have increased intelligence activity and are ready to provide support to the Baltic countries and Poland in the event of escalation.

Previously, “Verstka” talked about the invasion of Russian drones into Polish airspace. For the first time, Allied aircraft conducted combat operations on the territory of a NATO member country. At the same time, the drone invasion of Poland was not recognized as an attack.

Photo: Belarusian border guards on the border with Poland, August 31, 2025. Agnieszka Sadowska/ Agencja Wyborcza. pl via REUTERS

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