Poland announced plans to significantly increase its troop deployment in Latvia and forge closer defence industry ties with the Baltic state, according to Euractiv.
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz revealed the measures during a visit to the Polish military contingent stationed in Ādaži, near Latvia’s capital Riga.
Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed the Polish contingent in Latvia would grow to 300 personnel, up from the current deployment. The expansion aligns with NATO’s reinforced eastern flank strategy and follows Latvia’s recent calls for allied support.
The initiative could involve co-production of military hardware, such as anti-drone systems and artillery ammunition, leveraging Poland’s rapidly growing defence sector.
In a parallel move, Poland intends to withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use of anti-personnel landmines. The decision mirrors Latvia’s parliamentary vote on Wednesday to abandon the treaty.
The troop surge and industrial partnership reflect Warsaw’s ambition to position itself as a key security guarantor in the Baltic region. Poland already hosts a NATO battle group and has invested heavily in border fortifications with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad.
