Poland’s political and security strategy amid growing external threats

<ns0:p>The purpose of the study was to determine the areas of transformation of Poland’s foreign policy and security approaches after 2022. The study used structural, functional, content and quantitative analysis, which allowed summarising the data of official documents, and scientific and analytical publications on the dynamics of threats and modernisation of the defence sector. The analysis showed that after 2022, Poland has implemented a systematic build-up of its defence potential, increasing military spending from USD 18.1 billion up to USD 38 billion in 2022, increasing its share of gross domestic product to 4.2%. It was established that the renewal of the regulatory framework and the creation of a fund to support the Armed Forces provided institutional conditions for financing large-scale weapons programmes. As part of the upgrade, key purchases were identified, including the purchase of 366 Abrams and 360 K2 tanks, 364 K9/K9PL self-propelled artillery guns (SPG), 48 AHS Krab, Patriot and Narew systems, and the expansion of missile capabilities through HIMARS and K239 Chunmoo. The results showed that these investments formed a multidimensional structure of defensive capabilities, able to insure increased mobility, depth of fire, and resistance to modern threats. It was established that Poland has strengthened its role in the decision-making process of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in particular, by participating in the development of regional defence plans and supporting the transition of the alliance to the model of advanced defence and expanding the new model of the Armed Forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to more than 300 thousand high-alert military personnel. It was revealed that Poland has become a key logistics hub on the eastern flank, which is confirmed by the development of the APS-2 infrastructure in Powidz and the expansion of Host Nation Support mechanisms. The study showed that the country simultaneously strengthened its position in the European Union by promoting the implementation of Strategic Compass, Military Mobility 2.0 and expanding defence cooperation tools, in particular, in the areas of sanctions policy and the defence industry. It was also determined that the Bucharest Nine and Lublin Triangle formats have become key platforms for coordinating regional positions, developing joint threat assessments, and coordinating practical measures, including joint counter-disinformation initiatives</ns0:p>