The trial reopening comes after a total border shutdown in September amid Russian military drills, but Warsaw warns it will close them again “in an instant” if threats emerge.
WARSAW — Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Tuesday that Poland will reopen two major border crossings with Belarus in November on a “trial basis,” a significant move to ease trade restrictions despite high security tensions.
The crossings, Kuźnica-Bruzgi and Bobrowniki-Bierestovitsa, will resume operations following a total border shutdown Poland imposed in September. That closure was a response to joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises, Zapad-2025, and what Warsaw described as a violation of its airspace by 21 Russian drones.
Speaking at a forum in Białystok, Mr. Tusk stated that after joint efforts with Baltic states, “the benefits outweigh the risks,” alluding to the economic impact the closures have had on terrestrial trade routes. The Kuźnica crossing has been closed since 2021, and Bobrowniki since February 2023, amid a diplomatic crisis over migration and political pressure from Minsk.
The reopening is conditional on coordination with neighboring Lithuania, which recently closed its own land crossings with Belarus.
Mr. Tusk issued a stark warning that Warsaw would “not hesitate for an instant” to order a new closure if any new threats arise. The Połowce crossing will remain closed due to a military camp in the area.
Tensions remain high along the NATO frontier. Polish authorities accuse Belarus of facilitating the passage of irregular migrants as a form of political pressure, with officials recording some 30,000 illegal entries so far in 2024. The recent discovery of a 30-meter underground tunnel from Belarus into Poland has further heightened security concerns.
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