East Front News #73: Poland Picks Sweden's submarines; France revives military service

A bad week for Polish diplomacy: absence at Geneva and escalating internal rift

It was not a good week for Polish diplomacy—from its absence at the Geneva talks to the escalating internal rift over primacy in foreign policy. On Sunday, the Polish delegation did not appear alongside its German, French, and British counterparts who together with Ukraine and the US redrafted the peace plan proposed earlier in the week. The absence has triggered fears in Warsaw of being sidelined from a process that is critical to both national and regional security.

The dual diplomacy pursued by the President and the government certainly does not add to the Polish international strength. On Monday, President Nawrocki delivered a speech in Czechia in which he presented a nation-state-oriented vision of the EU, contradicting the government’s position and further deepening internal divisions. If these dynamics persist, Poland and the broader Eastern Flank risk being reduced to mere objects of negotiations, a position they can ill afford.

Author: Kacper Kremiec

Poland signs contract for latest AMRAAM missiles to arm its F-35s

On 27 November, the Ministry of National Defence signed a contract with the U.S. government, valued at approximately 500 million dollars to purchase the latest AIM-120D AMRAAM air-to-air missiles for Poland’s F-35A fleet. The agreement was concluded in Warsaw, with representatives from the Ministry of National Defence and the U.S. Defence Security Cooperation Agency participating, which oversees foreign military sales. The contract covers the acquisition of the newest variant of AMRAAM missiles, offering extended range, improved resistance to electronic countermeasures, and full integration with the F-35’s sensor fusion systems, ensuring that the aircraft will achieve full combat capability as soon as they enter service in 2026.

Access to the AIM-120D, provided only to the closest U.S. partners, represents a significant enhancement of Poland’s air-to-air engagement capabilities and further strengthens interoperability within NATO. In the context of ongoing tensions on the Alliance’s eastern flank, the contract meaningfully boosts deterrence. It reinforces Poland’s air defences« resilience against the growing threat posed by Russia

Author: Justyna Smoleń

The Polish consulate in Irkutsk closed

On Thursday, Russian Federation announced that Polish consulate in Irkutsk, will be closed from December 30. Yesterday’s decision should be interpreted as a retaliatory measure in response to Warsaw’s closure of the last Russian consulate in Gdansk, following the sabotage incidents of November 15–16 for which Moscow was held responsible. According to the spokesperson of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Poland anticipated that this decision would be made. He stated that the institution’s duties would be taken over by the Polish consular department in Moscow. It is worth noting that Warsaw has previously closed Russian consulates in response to sabotage attacks. Following an attempted fire attack at a paint factory in Wroclaw, the consulate of the Russian Federation in Poznan was shut down. After the arson of a large commercial complex on Marywilska Street, the Minister of Foreign Affairs withdrew consent for the operation of the consulate in Kraków. Closure of the consulate in Irkutsk as well last week’s attack on the Polish Ambassador to Russia, Krzysztof Krajewski are real evidence that diplomatic tensions between Warsaw and Moscow continue to escalate.

Author: Amelia Wojciechowska

Poland Picks Sweden's A26: Submarine deal reshapes Baltic deterrence

Poland’s selection of Sweden’s A26 submarines ends a decade-long stalemate in rebuilding the country’s underwater deterrent. Saab’s offer combines rapid delivery, industrial cooperation, and a gap-filler capability, enabling Polish crews to train in 2026 and receive an interim A19 in 2027. This prevents a capability vacuum and accelerates operational readiness ahead of the three A26 deliveries by 2030. Unlike previous bidders, Sweden links procurement to reciprocal purchases in Poland, strengthening domestic shipyards and embedding Warsaw within a Nordic defence-industrial network.

Strategically, the decision reinforces the emerging Polish–Swedish axis in the Baltic following Stockholm’s NATO accession. The A26, optimized for shallow and congested waters, enhances covert ISR and long-range strike—capabilities tailored to the Baltic’s anti-access environment. Restoring a credible submarine force shifts regional deterrence dynamics vis-à-vis Russia and balances Poland’s previously land-centric modernization. If executed on schedule, Orka will mark the first meaningful regeneration of the Polish Navy in decades, turning it from a symbolic maritime presence into a core undersea contributor to allied security.

Author: Jakub Borowski

France revives military service — but not for war

Paris« new Service national militaire (volontaire) marks a strategic bet on resilience, not mobilisation. Macron’s ten-month voluntary programme embeds young citizens in operational units, with real uniforms, pay and military statute, but without foreign deployments. The model is designed to repair the widening gap between the Republic and its youth, after willingness to defend the country dropped sharply—especially among men under 35. By offering military experience without coercion, France aims to rebuild civic duty through exposure to discipline, hierarchy and responsibility rather than nostalgia for conscription.

The reform constructs a layered force architecture: professionals at the core, an expanded reserve behind them and recurring SNM cohorts as a societal buffer. Participants will support domestic security, crisis response and base protection, reinforcing the army where it physically operates. Paris is not preparing expeditionary battalions nor gearing up for war with Russia; it is preparing citizens who have lived service. In a Europe rediscovering that mobilization capacity must be built in peacetime, France chooses to harden its social foundations before the cost of inaction becomes irreversible.

Author: Aleksander Olech

Audit or amnesty? Ukraine's plan revisions spark accountability concerns

Reports that the U.S. peace plan’s audit requirement was replaced with a „full amnesty for actions during the war” have ignited a debate over transparency and political risk. Early drafts aimed to verify all aid to Ukraine, counter corruption, and reassure donor states that billions in wartime assistance were traceable. Shifting to an amnesty clause — allegedly at Kyiv’s request — would shield both Ukrainian officials and Russian perpetrators from post-war liability, undermining trust in Ukraine’s governance and eroding public support in net-contributing countries such as Poland.

The dispute is not only about oversight, but legitimacy. For Western partners, insisting on a full audit signals commitment to accountability; removing it suggests vulnerability within Ukraine’s political elite and fears of prosecutable misconduct. For Kyiv, a comprehensive audit could expose wartime weaknesses, empower political enemies and complicate peace negotiations. With fresh allegations of large-scale corruption and ongoing aid commitments, donors face a sharper dilemma: how to sustain support for Ukraine while ensuring that transparency is not sacrificed for expediency.

Author: Adam Jawor

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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.