FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Is NATO’s New Fulda Gap in Poland?

New Atlanticist
Aug 5, 2025

Poland’s new president could become a major European ally for Trump

By
Marek Magierowski

Conservative Karol Nawrocki, who takes over as Poland’s president on August 6, may help convince the US president of the danger posed by Russia.

Elections
Poland

Is NATO’s New Fulda Gap in Poland?

New Atlanticist
Jun 2, 2025

Experts react: Conservative Karol Nawrocki is Poland’s next president. What does it mean for Poland, Europe, and the world?

By
Atlantic Council experts

On June 1, the historian and former boxer triumphed in Poland’s presidential election. Atlantic Council experts share their insights on the contest, the winner, and what’s next.

Elections
Poland

Is NATO’s New Fulda Gap in Poland?

New Atlanticist
Mar 14, 2025

Why Poland’s president wants US nuclear weapons

By
Marek Magierowski

President Andrzej Duda said this week that US nuclear weapons should be deployed in his country. To understand why, look at not just Poland’s security but also its politics.

Central Europe
Nuclear Deterrence

Featured Event

Online Event
Thu, June 5, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

Warsaw Week 2025

At this year’s Warsaw Week—the Europe Center’s annual flagship conference—experts and officials gather in Poland to highlight the importance of relations between the United States and Europe.

Central Europe
Eastern Europe
Europe & Eurasia
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Mon, February 26, 2024 • 12:30 pm ET

A conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Radosław Sikorski

Minister Sikorski joins the Atlantic Council to discuss the new Polish government’s priorities and vision for Polish foreign policy and transatlantic relations.

Central Europe
Europe & Eurasia
Poland
Politics & Diplomacy


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Content

Range of Russia's Iskander missiles when deployed in Kaliningrad

NATOSource

Oct 1, 2015

Is NATO’s New Fulda Gap in Poland?

By Paul McLeary, Foreign Policy

The head of U.S. Army Europe is eyeing a narrow sliver of land connecting Poland with Lithuania, concerned about the Russian troops and equipment he has been watching pile up on either side.

Belarus NATO
NATO Exercise Noble Jump, June 18, 2015

NATOSource

Sep 29, 2015

Five Recommendations for Strengthening NATO’s Response to Russian Aggression

By Radek Sikorski And Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Wall Street Journal

Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as its military build-up and threatening words and behavior in the Baltic Sea region, show that we have not yet fully communicated to the Kremlin that it should back off.

NATO Northern Europe

In the News

Sep 29, 2015

Benitez on the Suwalki Gap

By Jorge Benitez

Foreign Policy quotes Brent Scowcroft Center Resident Senior Fellow and NATOSource Director Jorge Benitez on the militarization of the area of land between Poland and Lithuania:

Poland Russia
Russian Su-27 fighter jets, Aug. 27, 2013

NATOSource

Sep 15, 2015

Russia has Closed the Air Power Gap with NATO, US General Warns

By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr., Breaking Defense

“The alarming thing,” said the commander of US Air Forces in Europe, is that the Russians are catching up. “They’ve closed the gap.”

Europe & Eurasia Missile Defense
NATO activates staff units in 6 members states, Sept. 3, 2015

NATOSource

Sep 3, 2015

NATO Activates Staff Units in Six Eastern Members

By Jens Stoltenberg, NATO

Today, we raise the NATO flag over six new headquarters. The NATO Force Integration Units. Here in Vilnius. But also in Bucharest, Bydgoszcz, Sofia, Riga, and Tallinn.

Central Europe NATO
Soldiers in the 173rd Airborne Brigade, May 11, 2015

NATOSource

Aug 27, 2015

The Case for NATO’s Military Presence in Central and Eastern Europe

By Artur Kacprzyk, PISM

Calls for a permanent NATO presence will not die down any time soon, given the persistence of Poland and the Baltic States both before and after the Wales summit.

Central Europe NATO

Defense Industrialist

Aug 21, 2015

Every citizen a sensor

By James Hasik

NATO needs more tiny technologies for hybrid warfare. Our experience with counterinsurgency is not done, David Petraeus once said, because insurgents are not done. Some of those recently have been state-sponsored and Russian-speaking, but those highly empowered and malevolent insurgents have been wreaking havoc around the world with the tools of “Democratized Destruction.” Two can play that game, but in […]

Defense Industry NATO
Polish President Andrzej Duda, August 6, 2015

NATOSource

Aug 19, 2015

New President Wants Poland to be a Leader in Regional Security

By Jan Cienski, Politico Europe

Barely a week into his term, Poland’s new president is moving to realize a hallmark campaign promise: To pivot central Europe’s most important country to closer security ties with its immediate eastern neighbors.

Germany NATO
Polish President Andrzej Duda, September 12, 2013

NATOSource

Aug 13, 2015

NATO Treats Poland Like a Buffer State, Says New President

By Henry Foy, Financial Times

Polish president Andrzej Duda has criticised Nato for treating Poland like a “buffer zone” rather than a fully fledged member facing a resurgent Russia and urged the alliance to place permanent bases in the former Soviet bloc country.

NATO Poland
Military parade to mark 70th anniversary of victory in World War II, May 9, 2015

NATOSource

Aug 11, 2015

Infographic: Data Disproves Russian Lies about NATO Military Expansion

By Jorge Benitez and Lucas Della Ventura

Russian leaders have been promoting the myth of NATO military expansion as part of their justification for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.

Belarus Central Asia
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Experts

Fellow

Marek Magierowski

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Joanna Siekiera

Nonresident Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Rule of Law Polish

Fellow

Danuta Hübner

Distinguished Fellow

Europe Center

Democratic Transitions Economy & Business

Fellow

Ian Brzezinski

Senior Fellow

Europe Center Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Central Europe Defense Policy

Staff

Denise Forsthuber

Deputy Director, Strategic Engagement and Operations

Europe Center Transform Europe Initiative

Central Europe Eastern Europe

Fellow

Daniel Fried

Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative Eurasia Center

Eastern Europe Democratic Transitions
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