East Front News #37: European White Book, Poland to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention

Poland and the Baltic States to Resume Use of Anti-Personnel Mines

The defence ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have recommended withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel mines.

The declaration was signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, along with the defense ministers of the three Baltic states. Polish officials, including Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz and Prime Minister Tusk, had previously indicated the possibility of withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention. Poland ratified the treaty in 2012.

Large Interest in the Construction of Shield East. 200 Proposals

The Polish Ministry of Defence has received nearly 200 proposals for solutions from manufacturers and suppliers of modern technologies interested in co-creating Shield East.

On the webpage dedicated to the National Deterrence and Defence Program „Shield East”, information was posted regarding „proposals for modern technology solutions that could potentially support the achievement of strategic defense objectives within the National Deterrence and Defense Program Shield East.”

According to the statement, half of the nearly 200 submissions are expected to concern solutions in the field of sensors and effectors. A significant portion of the proposed solutions is expected to address infrastructure and unmanned systems. Every tenth submission includes issues related to connectivity.

Ukraine: FlyEye UAVs Coordinate Cluster Rocket Barrage

The Ukrainian side has released a video showing a HIMARS strike on Russian positions. Notably, the strike was coordinated by a FlyEye drone.

Footage from the Polish FlyEye drone, likely belonging to the 47th Mechanized Brigade, captures an attack on the workshop of Russia’s 155th Marine Infantry Brigade. The strike, carried out using a HIMARS system, targeted a repair facility and employed cluster munitions.

Defence24 Days 2025: Premier Defence & Security Conference in CEE

Defence24 Days 2025 is the leading defence and security conference in Central and Eastern Europe, bringing together key decision-makers, military officials, industry leaders, and experts to discuss the most pressing challenges facing modern defence.

Taking place on 6-7 of May 2025 at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw, the event will serve as a platform for high-level debates, technological showcases, and strategic networking opportunities.

Polish Industry Expands Defence Cooperation with Japan

WB Group Poland signed an agreement on technical and commercial cooperation with the Japanese corporation ShinMaywa Industries – WB Group announced in a press release. This followed a meeting regarding Polish-Japanese military and technical cooperation. The agreement was signed during the visit of Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and Deputy Minister of Defence Paweł Zalewski in Japan. The cooperation agreement was signed by Piotr Wojciechowski, President of WB Group, and Katsuo Tanaka, Managing Director and Head of Aviation Programmes at ShinMaywa Corporation. The agreement is currently framework in nature, but it appears that both sides will have much to offer each other.

European White Paper on Defence

The European Commission has published a White Paper titled „Readiness 2030”, aiming to significantly strengthen the European Union’s defence capabilities. This document focuses on eliminating military capability gaps that have been identified as key threats to the security of the EU. One of the main objectives of the White Paper is the expansion and integration of the European defence industrial base. The European Commission emphasizes the need to create a strong and coherent production ecosystem that would reduce reliance on non-European suppliers. The document also highlights the necessity of simplifying EU regulations to facilitate cooperation between member states in joint investments and military procurement.  

The European Commission places a strong emphasis on reinforcing the EU’s external borders, particularly along the eastern flank, including areas bordering Russia and Belarus. Given the current geopolitical situation, the White Paper also underscores the importance of integrating Ukraine’s defence industry with the EU’s, which could enhance production capacities and innovation within the defence sector. A key component of the White Paper is the ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 program, which proposes allocating €800 billion to massively increase defence investments. These funds will primarily be used for joint arms procurement, to be carried out within the European defence industry. Special priority is given to advanced weapon systems, defence technologies, and military force development. To support the implementation of this ambitious plan, the European Commission has proposed a new financial instrument called SAFE (Security Action for Europe).  

This mechanism will allow EU member states to take out defence-related loans, with a total available credit pool of up to €150 billion. SAFE also aims to enhance interoperability among European armed forces while ensuring stability and predictability for the defence industry. Notably, this mechanism will also be accessible to Ukraine, as well as EFTA and EEA countries, further paving the way for greater integration of the European defence market.

Head of Ukrainian Unmanned Forces for Defence24: "Ukrainian Drones Forced Russia to Change Its Strategy"

The war in Ukraine is the first large-scale armed conflict in history where unmanned systems play a key role. Both Ukraine and Russia are rapidly developing drone technologies, leading to a continuous race of innovation and tactical adaptation on the battlefield.

What strategies is Russia using to counter Ukrainian unmanned systems? And how does Ukraine maintain its technological edge? In an interview with Defence24, Colonel Vadim Sukharevsky, commander of the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces, answers these questions.

Political crisis in Romania and arrests on charges of high treason

The Romanian prosecutor’s office has ordered the Directorate for the Prosecution of Organized Crime and Terrorist Crimes to detain 6 people in connection with charges of high treason. Media reports suggest that those detained maintained contacts with Russian representatives and carried out activities that in the long term could end with Romania’s withdrawal from the North Atlantic Alliance.  

G4Media has revealed the personal data of those detained: Mateescu Ștefan, Dinu Adrian-Robertin, Şofran Radu-Pompiliu, Lupu Raul-Mihail, Attiiene Georgică-Cristian and Semeniuc Marius. The organization that included the six was called the „Vlad Ţepeș Command”. The activities of this structure referred to conducting negotiations with Russian agents regarding a potential coup d«état and the overthrow of the existing constitutional order in Romania.  

In the same period, two military attachés of the Russian Federation were expelled from Romania: air and naval attaché Viktor Makovsky and his deputy Yevgeny Ignatiev. The Romanian Intelligence Service warned that the diplomats were conducting intelligence activities „in areas of strategic importance” and supporting the anti-constitutional initiatives of the aforementioned „Vlad Ţepeș Command”.  

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East Front News is a weekly newsletter and article on Defence24.com summarizing the past week’s most important events concerning security and the situation in the Central and Eastern Europe region. It includes original opinions and comments, along with key news items significant from a Polish perspective.

Aleksander Olech, PhD & Jakub Palowski, Deputy Ed. in Chief, Michał Górski