Poland will roll out a new military training programme this month as part of a broader plan to train around 400,000 people in 2026, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
Galvanised by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Poland now spends more of its GDP on defence than any other NATO member.
It has grown into the alliance's third-largest military, with 216,000 personnel, and plans to expand its forces by nearly a third over the next decade.
Dubbed by Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz as "the largest defence training in Polish history", the programme 'At Readiness' will be voluntary and open to all citizens - from school children to working adults, companies, and seniors.
The programme will offer a basic security course, survival training, medical instruction, and cyber-hygiene classes.
"In November and December alone (...) we will train about 20,000 people in individual training, but the total number..., in terms of all forms of training, is about 100,000 people," Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk told a conference.
The ministry plans next year to train approximately 400,000 people "individually, in groups, as part of 'Education with the Army', reserve training and voluntary compulsory military service", Tomczyk added.
The chief of Poland's General Staff, Wieslaw Kukula, said the programme had two primary goals - to strengthen the resilience of citizens and communities, and to boost the availability, readiness, and capacity of reserves.
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Denmark has announced an immediate increase in its military presence in Greenland, citing growing security tensions in the Arctic.
NATO member countries are discussing the next steps to collectively keep the Arctic safe, alliance chief Mark Rutte said on Monday (12 January), the latest sign of work among allies to satisfy U.S. President Donald Trump, who says he wants to take over Greenland.
Sweden will spend 4 billion crowns on unmanned drone systems to be delivered over the next two years, Defence Minister Pal Jonson revealed on Monday.
The Arctic has become a frontline for strategic competition, NATO’s top military commander in Europe said on Sunday, as Russia and China increase their presence in the region.
The Turkish Defence Ministry has voiced its support for recent military operations by Syrian government forces against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which enjoy the support of the United States.
Tens of thousands of users were left unable to access Elon Musk’s social media platform X on Friday, with outages reported across multiple countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
Armenia has reaffirmed that it has no intention of taking any actions directed against Iran, with senior officials stressing that relations with Tehran remain friendly and constructive.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on 16 January, offering Russia’s help to mediate tensions and promote dialogue in the Middle East.
The Kremlin has welcomed recent signals from several major European capitals suggesting a renewed openness to dialogue with Moscow, calling the shift a “positive evolution” in Europe’s stance towards Russia.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 18 January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened a sweeping new round of tariffs on several European allies unless the United States is allowed to buy Greenland, escalating a diplomatic row over the Danish Arctic territory.
Leaders from several countries have received invitations to join a so-called U.S.-led ‘Board of Peace’, an initiative that would initially aim to end the conflict in Gaza before expanding to address other global disputes, diplomats said on Saturday.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Saturday (17 January) that concerns over security in Greenland should be addressed within the framework of NATO, describing a ground military intervention as highly unlikely.
The European Union and South American bloc Mercosur have signed a long-awaited free trade agreement in Paraguay, opening the way for what would become the EU’s largest-ever trade deal.
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