Why is Poland building a barrier with Ukraine?

A ceasefire in Ukraine is far from being agreed, yet Poland is already preparing for its collapse. In recent months, Warsaw has been digging an anti-tank ditch along its border with Russia and Belarus – and has decided to extend it to Ukraine. The 400-mile-long ‘East Shield’ will almost double in size and include minefields and bunkers, anti-drone systems and AI-powered defences to protect Poland from possible invasion. Ukraine’s closest neighbour clearly puts little trust in Donald Trump’s promise of peace with Russia: if Vladimir Putin rearms and comes back for more, Poland must be ready to meet battle-hardened Russian troops at its border.

Donald Tusk called the £2.5 billion project an ‘investment in peace’ to deter and discourage any possible aggressor. The Polish Prime Minister explained the need to extend the barricade to Ukraine as a way for Poles ‘to feel safer along the entire eastern border’. Warsaw understands that Ukraine’s security is pivotal for Poland’s security; it has been aiding Kyiv with heavy armour since the early days of the full-scale war, supplying tanks – more than 300 now – when others sent helmets.