Analysis
Democratic Security
V4 Builds a Defence-Tech Industry in a Garage. Ukraine Helps
5 March 2026
22 January 2026
Poland will cling to transatlantic relations for as long as Washington delivers hard power and profits – but Warsaw is quietly building a European security fallback for the day when it does not.
Karol Nawrocki, Poland’s president, did not rush to accept Donald Trump’s invitation to the so-called ‘Board of Peace’ meeting on Thursday. The hesitation was telling. Despite Warsaw’s unusually warm relations with the American president, Nawrocki took part in the inaugural meeting, but did not sign the ‘Board of Peace’ charter.
In contrast, Viktor Orbán seized the opportunity with pride and enthusiasm, hoping the gesture might bolster his flagging position at home – before the elections in which the stakes are high. Nawrocki is not facing any immediate electoral pressure. Yet the choice carried weight in the long run. His political future – and Poland’s broader foreign and security posture – hung in the balance.