Whenever we think about who shapes Europe’s security architecture, we tend to think automatically of Great Britain, France, Germany and Russia. Currently, the very heart of EU decision-making is considered to be Brussels, which, while true, does not represent the whole picture.

Poland, for one, is a state that is often forgotten and left out of the list. For much of the post-Cold War period, Poland was primarily viewed through the lens of its position within Europe’s security architecture: a NATO member on the Alliance’s eastern flank and, since 2004, an EU member situated between Western Europe and a rapidly changing neighbourhood.

In today’s reality, however, that description does not do Poland justice. Its position has become considerably more significant as European security has deteriorated. Poland is now investing heavily in its own defence capabilities while increasingly connecting those efforts to wider European and transatlantic security structures, trying to find a balance between national efforts and cooperation with as many allies as possible.

This approach was reflected particularly clearly during the 2025 edition of the Warsaw Security Forum. The discussions repeatedly returned to the need for Europe to strengthen its own defence capabilities while preserving the transatlantic relationship. One idea that stood out was that Poland should not limit itself to relying on a single partner or institution. Instead, it should make use of every available tool: maintaining strong relations with the United States and NATO while simultaneously strengthening its position within the European Union. In an increasingly uncertain security environment, cooperation with as many partners as possible becomes an asset rather than a contradiction, especially in combination with strengthening one’s own national defense capabilities.

Poland was also repeatedly discussed in the context of Europe's eastern flank and the need to strengthen European resilience and deterrence. The Forum's 2025 report focused on the cost of lack of action and the need for Europe and the wider transatlantic alliance to strengthen their defence and resilience.

Now, almost a year later, we can see that these were not empty promises, and Poland is in fact taking significant steps towards reshaping its role in Europe.

One of the clearest signs of Poland’s changing role is the scale of resources being directed towards defence. On 27 February 2026, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that “We are in the final stretch of a major project that will increase the security of Poland and the whole of Europe.” He was talking about the European Union’s Security Action for Europe, also known as SAFE.

Under the programme, Poland was allocated €43.7 billion, the largest amount among all EU member states. On 29 May 2026, Poland received its first payment of €6.6 billion, representing 15% of its total allocation. It was also the first EU member state to receive a payment under SAFE.

The official website of the Republic of Poland described the programme as a “blueprint for European security” as well as domestic defence growth. According to the Polish government, the funds will support, among other areas, the Eastern Shield, air and missile defence, artillery, military transport infrastructure and counter-drone systems. The government also states that 89% of orders under the programme will go to the Polish defence industry.

As the Prime Minister noted, “A well-armed Poland, as self-reliant as possible and at the same time cooperating with allies in a modern way, this is the absolute number one priority.” He added that decisions made in the present would affect the security of Poland, the region and the wider world.
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