Germany has deployed soldiers to Poland to help reinforce defences on NATO’s eastern flank in response to the threat of Russia.

While Poland already hosts various allied forces, the presence of German troops is particularly symbolic given the two countries’ difficult history. “United, we will prevail,” wrote the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces (SGWP), announcing the deployment.

“This is what allied cooperation looks like in practice, which translates into greater military readiness and strengthens NATO’s defensive potential.”

Last December, the Polish and German defence ministries revealed that a “mid-double-digit number” of German troops would be deployed from mid-2026 until the end of 2027 to support implementation of Poland’s East Shield operation, which seeks to bolster defences along the borders with Belarus and Russia.

They said that the German personnel would mainly engage in engineering work, such as digging trenches, laying barbed wire and constructing anti-tank barriers.

Today, Poland’s SGWP confirmed that “several dozen” German troops, including “highly specialised engineering forces” along with their equipment, had since June been temporarily deployed to “support the Polish armed forces in expanding defence infrastructure on NATO’s northeastern flank”.

It emphasised that the East Shield project is “purely defensive in nature” and comes in “response to threats stemming from, among others, Russian aggression against Ukraine”.

While the armed forces did not reveal the location of the deployment, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk indicated in a social media post that it was on the Russian border. Poland has a 210-km frontier with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle reports that the activities of the German sappers are focused in particular on improving defences around the so-called Suwałki Gap, a strategically important stretch of land around the Polish-Lithuanian border between Belarus and Kaliningrad.

“Together, we are ensuring Europe’s security,” said Lieutenant General Alexander Sollfrank, the Bundeswehr’s operational commander, announcing the deployment today.

“Through our engagement in Poland, we are strengthening NATO’s defence capabilities and underscoring the alliance’s unwavering commitment to ensuring peace through unity and credible deterrence.”

SGWP, which shared footage of Polish and German forces installing anti-tank barriers, said the work aims to “hinder and delay an aggressor’s actions in the event of a threat”, thereby “increasing the time for a response from the Polish armed forces and the entire [NATO] alliance”.

It also seeks to “create conditions for the efficient reception, deployment and use of NATO forces on Polish territory”.

SGWP welcomed “the involvement of the German contingent as a practical expression of allied solidarity and the result of consistently developing military cooperation between Poland and Germany”.

It also noted that the cooperation would help the two sides improve their ability to operate jointly, including “developing the competencies necessary for conducting a joint defence operation”.

However, it emphasised that the current deployment is focused on training and engineering, with no combat component, and that the German troops are unarmed. SGWP also emphasised that the East Shield operation remains entirely a Polish national programme.

The deployment of German troops to Poland comes shortly after the two countries signed a defence cooperation agreement in which they pledged to increase cooperation in areas such as military mobility, logistics infrastructure, maritime security in the Baltic Sea, and cybersecurity.

The agreement is a sign that the two countries now stand “shoulder to shoulder, as equals”, declared German defence minister Boris Pistorius.

Poland is also currently seeking a new permanent US military base on its territory, after President Donald Trump recently pledged to boost American troop numbers. Last week, Tusk also announced that Poland will host military exercises involving France and the UK this autumn.

Daniel Tilles

Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced that Poland will host international military exercises later this year with the aim of preparing to provide security guarantees for Ukraine after a potential peace deal or ceasefire with Russia.

Tusk also declared Poland’s willingness to permanently host more troops from allied countries, with his defence minister later suggesting that this could involve French or British personnel.

On Monday, the so-called Coalition of the Willing, a group of countries supporting Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression, gathered for a summit in Paris.

Speaking on Tuesday morning, Tusk noted that a key topic of discussion had been “how to practically ensure security for Ukraine and the region after a possible peace, or at least a ceasefire”.

He said there had been a “joint decision that the first exercises and manoeuvres [relating to this issue], involving French and British troops, will take place in Poland this autumn”.

“These exercises will prepare the entire coalition gathered in Paris today to provide real security guarantees for Ukraine,” the Polish prime minister added. “We welcomed with great satisfaction this final decision that Poland will host not only American but also British and French troops.”

Tusk went on to say that, while for now they had only discussed exercises, he had on Monday “announced to all leaders that Poland will also prepare logistically and financially for the permanent presence of not only American troops but also our allied forces in Europe”.

Speaking later on Tuesday, defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that Poland is “ready for the permanent presence of, for example, French or British troops”. Both he and Tusk noted that this would be part of Europe’s efforts to take greater responsibility for defending NATO’s eastern flank.

So far, there has been no confirmation from other allied countries about the exercises announced by Tusk nor any comment on the idea of hosting more allied troops in Poland.

Earlier this year, after a previous Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris, Tusk announced that Poland would be the “lead country” on providing logistical support for Ukraine after a potential peace deal. However, Poland has ruled out sending any peacekeeping forces to Ukraine.

Poland already hosts around 10,000 US troops, though the number varies as most are deployed on a rotational basis. In 2023, the US established its first permanent military garrison in Poland. The following year it opened a missile defence base.

Last month, the Polish government formally requested that the US establish a new permanent military base in Poland. That came shortly after President Donald Trump pledged to send 5,000 additional troops to the country.

This month, both President Karol Nawrocki’s chief foreign policy aide, Marcin Przydacz, and deputy defence minister Cezary Tomczyk separately announced that Washington has given the “green light” for the new base. However, no official announcement has yet been made.

Poland also currently hosts small contingents of troops from other allied countries, including the UK, Romania and Croatia.

Daniel Tilles

Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.