Poland to Reopen Border Crossings with Belarus on Thursday

Poland to Reopen Border Crossings with Belarus on ThursdayPoland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the reopening of border crossings with Belarus, ending a nearly two-week closure initially imposed due to security concerns over military exercises.WARSAW—Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared on Tuesday that Poland will reopen its border crossings with Belarus starting from Thursday at midnight. The decision comes nearly two weeks after Poland shut down all road and railway border points in response to large-scale joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus.

The border reopening, which takes effect at 00:00 local time on September 25 (01:00 Minsk time), will restore road and railway connections between the two neighboring countries. Tusk made the announcement before a government meeting, noting that Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński would officially issue the relevant directive on the same day.

"The decision has been made jointly with the interior minister, who will today issue an order to reopen border crossings with Belarus—both road and rail," Tusk stated.Background: Sudden Closure Due to Military ExercisesPoland initially closed all border crossings with Belarus on September 12, citing the beginning of the "West-2025" large-scale joint military exercises between Russian and Belarusian forces. The Polish Interior Ministry had characterized the move as a necessary security measure, with officials emphasizing that restrictions would remain until the government could ensure the safety of Polish citizens.

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński had previously stated that border crossings would only reopen when the government was confident that "the safety of Polish citizens is sufficiently guaranteed".

The Russian-Belarusian military exercises concluded on September 16, but Poland had maintained the border restrictions until this week's reassessment. The prolonged closure had created significant logistical challenges, particularly for transportation companies that rely on cross-border routes.Conditional ReopeningPrime Minister Tusk indicated that the reopening could be reversed if security conditions deteriorate. He emphasized that the government would not hesitate to close the borders again "if necessary". This conditional approach reflects Poland's ongoing security concerns regarding its eastern frontier.

The September 12 closure had drawn criticism from Minsk. Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov warned that Warsaw's decision "created problems in relations with other countries". Polish authorities nonetheless acknowledged that the suspension of border traffic had caused difficulties for transport companies.Regional Security ContextThe border between Poland and Belarus has been a focal point of regional tension in recent years. The current decision to reopen crossings suggests a cautious normalization of border operations, though Tusk's conditional language indicates continued vigilance.

The timing of the reopening, just over a week after the conclusion of military exercises, suggests that Poland's security assessment has improved sufficiently to allow normal border operations to resume. However, the Polish government appears to be maintaining a flexible stance, potentially allowing for quick policy changes in response to future security developments in the region.

The reopening is expected to ease trade and transportation between the two countries, benefiting commercial interests that had been disrupted by the two-week closure. Normal border operations will resume at all road and railway crossing points effective Thursday morning