Between Symbolism and Real Defence: Poland’s Security Policy in Response to Russian Aggression, 2014–2022

Abstract

The article examines Poland’s security policy towards the Russian Federation in 2014–2022 in the aftermath of the annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Donbas. It employs a qualitative research approach based, among other things, on the analysis of strategic documents and official positions of the Republic of Poland, NATO, the European Union, and the United Nations, supplemented by selected data on defence expenditure, military presence, and military exercises. The article advances the hypothesis that Poland’s response was adaptive rather than revolutionary: politically consistent and active, yet constrained in its strategic effectiveness. The analysis indicates that Poland’s real impact was mainly expressed in supporting NATO’s adaptation on the eastern flank, from reassurance measures to territorial deterrence. At the same time, its broader effectiveness remained limited by divergent interests within the European Union and by the structural constraints of the United Nations Security Council. Overall, Poland played a politically significant role in diagnosing threats and shaping debate, but remained dependent on allied decisions and capabilities.