Wagner at NATO’s borders: Poland’s and Lithuania’s leaders meet urgently

Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of Poland, held an urgent meeting with Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania. The parties discussed provocations by Belarus and possible future threats.

Morawiecki and Nausėda met near the Suwałki Gap. This territory connects Poland with the Baltic states and separates the Kaliningrad Oblast and Belarus territories. There, Minsk recently deployed the mercenaries of the Wagner Russian terrorist organization.

“Presence of Wagner mercenaries in Belarus is an additional security risk factor for Lithuania, Poland and NATO allies. We stay vigilant and prepared for any possible scenario,” Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania, said. 

Cooperation between Poland and Lithuania is important “in the face of threats and provocations”, the Polish Prime Minister noted. Morawiecki emphasized that Poland remains under constant threat of provocations and hybrid attacks by the special services of Belarus and Russia.

“It was to escalate tensions on the eastern flank of NATO that mercenaries from Wagner’s group were brought to Belarus. There will be more such provocations, and they will be calculated to create confusion in Poland and other NATO countries, especially in our region,” Morawiecki said on the eve of the meeting with Nausėda.

After the appearance of the Wagner fighters in Belarus, Poland began to strengthen the border and announced plans to double the military’s size. In addition, Minsk’s provocation with Belarusian helicopters crossing the border forced Poland to move attack helicopters to state borders in the Podlaskie Voivodeship.

“These helicopters are armed and ready for battle,” Polish General Marek Sokołowski said. “They are very experienced. If something alarming happens, they will use their weapons without hesitation,” the general added.

Belarus continues to deny the incident. Earlier, Lukashenko announced the intentions of the Wagner fighters to attack the territory of Poland but later said that he was allegedly “joking.” At the same time, the National Resistance Center, citing the resistance among the military of Belarus, reported that Wagner was looking for Belarusians ready to fight against Lithuania and Poland.