EU summit to support creation of East Shield project, which currently excludes Ukraine

The European Council, which is currently meeting in Brussels, plans to approve the need for constructing the East Shield project along the borders with Russia and Belarus, strengthening the European Union’s defence infrastructure. However, Ukraine will not be covered by this protection.

The Polish prime minister emphasised, speaking to journalists, that the East Shield, initially a Polish initiative now joined by an increasing number of EU states, should be included in the European Council conclusions as one of the priorities.

"What I wanted to achieve at this stage has already been secured. The conclusions (of the European Council) already include the East Shield and a broader initiative. This is not just about the East Shield as a Polish project. Finland, the Baltic states and, as I discussed today with the Romanian president, many other countries want to be part of this large-scale project – protecting Europe’s eastern border," Tusk said.

Tusk stressed that he is "almost certain" the East Shield and the protection of the EU's eastern border have become priorities that no one questions anymore.

"This also means financial and infrastructural support (from the EU)," he added.

The Polish prime minister also called for increasing the presence of European and NATO forces along the border with Russia and Belarus.

Tusk stated that in order to genuinely offer security guarantees to others, Europe must first secure itself. In his words, that is why the first thing Europe should do is to fully secure its own borders – especially with Russia and Belarus. Notably, the East Shield project does not currently extend to Ukraine.

A diplomat from one of the EU's key countries told a European Pravda correspondent that "as of now, the project only includes EU member states" and Ukraine’s potential inclusion is not currently on the agenda.

In January 2024, the defence ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania approved the creation of a joint Baltic defence zone along their eastern border.

In November 2024, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the start of construction for the East Shield fortification system along the borders with Russia and Belarus.

Poland intends to complete the construction and reinforcement of its border wall with Belarus by mid-2025.