Germany sends troops to Poland's eastern border. Details of the mission of the forces deployed by the Bundeswehr
German soldiers near a Boxer military vehicle, a new type of armored personnel carrier, at a barracks in Berlin. PHOTO: Henry Nicholls, PA Images / Alamy / Profimedia
German authorities have announced that the country's armed forces, the Bundeswehr, will help secure Poland's eastern border, the border with Belarus and Russia, according to Deutsche Welle's English-language service.
Several dozen soldiers will join Poland's Operation Eastern Shield starting in April 2026, and the mission is expected to initially last until the end of 2027, the Berlin government's Defense Ministry announced.
A spokesman for the institution explained that the main task of the German troops in northern and eastern Poland will be military engineering work. The activity will involve building fortifications, digging trenches, installing barbed wire and creating anti-tank obstacles. No other missions are planned.
The Polish operation began in May 2024 and targets areas on the border with Belarus, Moscow's ally, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
The measures are aimed at strengthening the defense against a possible attack on Poland.
It does not need the approval of the German parliament
The deployment of German troops does not require parliamentary approval, the defense ministry said, because it is not considered a foreign armed mission under German law and does not expose the troops to direct military confrontation.
With the exception of exceptional cases, the deployment of the German armed forces abroad requires the approval of the parliament, notes AFP, according to Agerpres.
Germany, the second largest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the US, has delivered a considerable amount of equipment to Kiev, from air defense systems to armored vehicles.
Poland has in turn supported Kiev, while also being a major transit point for weapons supplied by other allies of Ukraine. In addition to the operation in the border area, Poland is modernizing its military and has increased spending in the defense sector.
