IRIA News

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Poland has announced that it is preparing to host the first military exercises of the Coalition of the Willing nations this year, bringing together British, French and Polish forces as European allies step up planning for future security guarantees for Ukraine.

The exercises are intended to improve coordination among participating militaries, test command structures and logistics, and demonstrate the coalition’s ability to deploy forces once active hostilities end.

The initiative reflects growing European efforts to establish a security framework for Ukraine outside NATO while reinforcing deterrence along the alliance’s eastern flank.

The Coalition of the Willing, co-led by the United Kingdom and France, was established in 2025 to coordinate military and political support for Ukraine independently of NATO. Poland has emerged as a central logistical hub for the planned Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U), making it a natural location for the coalition’s first joint military exercise.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the decision following a Coalition of the Willing leaders’ meeting in Paris on July 14.

Tusk said the drills would strengthen allied readiness to operate together for the security of both the region and Ukraine while preparing the coalition to provide meaningful security guarantees after a potential peace agreement.

Exercise to Test Command

While talking to a media outlet, a spokesperson for Poland’s Ministry of National Defense said the exercises form part of broader preparations for future security guarantees for Ukraine.

According to the spokesperson, the drills will test the coalition’s command-and-control system, logistical support arrangements and troop deployment procedures to confirm that participating forces can operate effectively once the conflict ends.

The exercise is also designed to improve coordination and interoperability among coalition members before any post-war deployment becomes necessary.

France and the United Kingdom will serve as the core participating nations alongside host country Poland. Military-to-military discussions are continuing on expanding participation to other Coalition of the Willing members, although no final list has been announced.

Officials have not disclosed exact dates, troop numbers or the locations within Poland where the exercises will take place.

Poland Positioned as Key Logistics Hub

The decision to stage the exercise in Poland reflects the country’s growing importance as the logistical and infrastructure hub for the planned Multinational Force Ukraine.

Warsaw has consistently ruled out deploying Polish combat troops inside Ukraine but has emphasized its willingness to support allied operations through logistics, transportation infrastructure and regional security initiatives.

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has also indicated that Poland is prepared to host a more permanent presence of allied forces, including British and French troops, alongside existing U.S. military deployments on Polish territory.

The proposed allied presence would strengthen NATO’s eastern flank while providing additional support for future security arrangements involving Ukraine.

East Shield Strengthens Poland’s Eastern Border

Alongside preparations for the coalition exercise, Poland is accelerating work on its East Shield border defense program aimed at strengthening defenses along its approximately 800-kilometre frontier with Russia’s Kaliningrad region and Belarus.

The $2.6 billion project is designed as a modern defensive infrastructure network rather than a continuous line of fortifications. The system incorporates lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, particularly the growing role of drones and unmanned systems on the battlefield.

Military officials said East Shield will include logistics hubs, storage facilities, fortifications, shelters and advanced drone detection systems using radar, thermal imaging and acoustic sensors to improve protection against unmanned aerial threats.

Poland is seeking NATO support for the initiative and wants East Shield to become a priority project for the alliance.

Growing Allied Cooperation on Eastern Flank

Poland has expanded military cooperation with Germany under the East Shield program, with German engineering units deployed on a rotational basis to assist in developing defensive infrastructure.

Polish military officials described the deployment as a demonstration of allied solidarity and part of broader NATO efforts to strengthen deterrence and defense capabilities along the alliance’s eastern frontier.

Warsaw is also holding discussions with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland on closer cooperation in border security and defense infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Poland is exploring broader cooperation with the United States, France and the United Kingdom. Defense Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz recently said French reconnaissance activities are expected to support the project, while similar reconnaissance involving U.S. forces is planned to begin in September.

The combination of the Coalition of the Willing exercises, East Shield infrastructure development, and expanded cooperation with NATO allies highlights Poland’s increasingly important role in European defense planning as allies prepare for both continued support to Ukraine and long-term security challenges posed by Russia.