Finland, Poland, and the Baltic states are urgently preparing to repel a potential Russian attack
Countries on NATO’s eastern flank are rapidly gearing up for a possible conflict with Russia amid uncertainty over future U.S. military support, Politico reports.
Correspondents visited three sections of Europe’s eastern border — in Finland, Poland, and Lithuania near the Suwałki Gap — and concluded that fortification efforts are being accelerated everywhere. The authors note that Finland has “built its defense on the assumption” of a possible Russian invasion.
“Even after joining NATO in 2023, Helsinki continues to view the alliance as a reinforcement of its own defense, not a replacement for it,” the article states.
Poland is focusing on concrete barriers, sensors, drones, and one of the fastest-growing armies in Europe. Warsaw has already exceeded NATO’s 2% GDP defense target and plans to spend 4.8% of GDP this year.
Lithuania and other Baltic states are too small and vulnerable, and their defense depends on NATO’s willingness to come to their aid. As Lithuania’s armed forces commander Raimundas Vaikšnoras said, the country does not pretend it can defend itself alone.
