Poland Urges Citizens to Immediately Leave Belarus Amid Escalating Tensions

Urgent Advisory Issued by Polish Embassy in Minsk

The Polish Embassy in Minsk issued an urgent advisory on September 25, 2025, calling on Polish citizens to 'immediately leave' Belarus. This directive comes amidst a significant escalation of tensions between the two neighboring countries, fueled by regional instability, military activities, and concerns over the safety of Polish nationals. The advisory highlighted that in the event of a 'drastic deterioration in the security situation, border closures, or other unforeseen circumstances, evacuation may prove significantly more difficult or even impossible'.

Key Reasons for the Warning

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited several critical factors contributing to the urgent travel warning:

• Rising Regional Tensions: The advisory explicitly mentioned 'rising tensions' in the region, particularly in the context of Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and Minsk's alliance with Moscow.
• Military Activity and Exercises: Ongoing military events, including the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises 'Zapad-2025', which took place from September 12 to 16, 2025, were a significant concern. Poland had previously closed all border crossings with Belarus on September 12 due to these exercises.
• Airspace Violations: A series of 'airspace violations' by Russian drones, some reportedly entering Polish territory from Belarus on September 9-10, 2025, further exacerbated the situation. These incidents prompted Poland to invoke Article 4 of the NATO treaty, signaling a serious security concern.
• Arbitrary Arrests of Polish Citizens: The advisory also pointed to 'repeated arbitrary arrests of Polish citizens' by Belarusian authorities as a key concern, indicating a deteriorating environment for Polish nationals within Belarus.

Border Situation and Bilateral Relations

Despite the urgent call for citizens to leave, Poland partially reopened two border crossings with Belarus on September 24 or 25, 2025. The Terespol-Brest crossing is now operational for passenger traffic, while the Koroszczyn-Kozlovichi crossing handles freight transport. However, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized that the option to close these crossings again remains on the table should tensions or aggressive behavior from Belarus increase.

Relations between Poland, a NATO and European Union member, and Belarus, a close ally of Russia, have been severely strained for several years. Tensions have been high since 2021 due to a migrant crisis at their shared border, and further deteriorated following the crackdown on protests after the 2020 Belarusian presidential election. Recent events, such as the sentencing of Polish journalist Andrzej Poczobut and mutual expulsions of diplomats, underscore the deep diplomatic rift.

Call to Action for Polish Nationals

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly advises against any travel to Belarus and urges those currently in the country to depart immediately using 'available commercial or private means of transport'. The warning underscores the unpredictable nature of the security situation and the potential for rapid changes that could complicate or prevent future departures.