Poland on the Frontline – Between Confidence and Concern

Since Russia's war of aggression, Poland has been a frontline state and has also taken on a new role in the world: it pushed ahead when it came to supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine and wants to build the largest army in Europe. For US President Biden, Poland is now the most important NATO partner in the East. But the threats are also very palpable in the country. How could a misguided Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile hit the small village of Przewodów? What danger is posed by the Wagner mercenaries stationed in Belarus? And why can Belarusian military helicopters fly seemingly unnoticed onto Polish territory? Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian vassal Victor Lukashenko have recently threatened Poland repeatedly and publicly. Could the threat from Belarus ultimately be even more dangerous for Poland than the Russian war in Ukraine? For this story, reporter Susanna Zdrzalek travels to the country where she was born - and experiences a changed Poland that is arming itself with new self-confidence - but also faces major challenges.