Intelligence briefing from Washington

Speaking after a meeting of the Visegrad Group government leaders in Bratislava on 10 September 2026, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk disclosed that he received a precise intelligence assessment from CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The document outlines projected security developments across Eastern Europe over the coming months. The briefing followed high-level contacts between United States and Polish officials, including an unpublicized discussion between Ratcliffe and Polish Special Services Coordinator Tomasz Siemoniak on 8 September.

Tusk addressed reporters in the Slovak capital, where regional heads of government also met with the Irish prime minister to review shared border protection measures. He stated that European governments must prepare for multiple contingencies extending beyond conventional frontline fighting in Ukraine.

“As I have already said on this matter and warned for many months, various scenarios must be expected. Poland and the whole of Europe must be prepared for different scenarios regarding the situation not only on the Russian-Ukrainian front, but also on the eastern flank of the European Union.”

Border incident averted

During his remarks, Tusk announced that Polish and Ukrainian security agencies coordinated overnight between 9 and 10 September to eliminate an immediate threat directed at a border crossing between the two countries. The prime minister declined to specify the exact checkpoint or the precise technical nature of the operation, but stated that the intervention prevented disruption to border infrastructure. He noted that the threat was resolved without reported casualties, but cautioned that border facilities remain exposed to hybrid tactics. He instructed domestic security agencies to prepare for further provocations, including internal sabotage operations coordinated by foreign actors.

Regional context and Moldovan strike

The warning follows an incident on the Ukraine-Moldova border in the early hours of 9 September, when Russian drones hit the Ukrainian side of the Tudora-Starokozache crossing point. Moldovan authorities stated that two Ukrainian citizens died in the strike and several individuals sustained injuries, including one Moldovan citizen. Checkpoint infrastructure suffered damage that led to temporary operational closures, while two additional drones fell in adjacent territory. Moldovan foreign ministry officials rejected Russian claims alleging that weapons shipments were passing through the crossing.

The intelligence handover follows broader diplomatic contacts by Washington. On 25 August 2026, Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow for discussions with Russian Foreign Intelligence Service director Sergey Naryshkin and Federal Security Service director Aleksandr Bortnikov.

European security burden

Tusk stated that Poland expects similar disruptive operations against other border crossings along the European Union's eastern perimeter. He reiterated that defending this border protects the entire bloc against irregular incursions and infrastructure sabotage. He urged European partners to view border defense on the eastern flank as a shared responsibility rather than solely a national obligation for frontline member states.

“It is not that Poland needs help from the European Union in this matter, but rather that we are performing the most difficult task right now for the whole of Europe, not just for ourselves. Nobody is doing anyone a favor here; we all have to take care of this together, because this is a matter of security for the entire Union.”