Polish authorities reported around 30,000 attempts to cross the border from Belarus illegally during 2025. This figure marks a slight decrease from the over 30,400 incidents recorded in 2024, according to the Polish Border Guard.
Measures to Curb Migration
The Border Guard attributed the reduction in crossings to stringent security policies, including the extension of an exclusion zone along the border and the suspension of the right for most migrants to seek international protection in Poland. Between March and December 2025, more than 240 applications for international protection were formally rejected under these measures.
Accusations of ‘Hybrid War’
Poland has faced a migration crisis along its frontier with Belarus since 2021. Warsaw has consistently accused the governments of Belarus and Russia of orchestrating migrant flows as a form of “hybrid warfare” aimed at destabilizing NATO’s eastern flank. This stance frames the border situation not merely as a migration issue but as a coordinated geopolitical pressure tactic, a perspective shared by several Eastern European allies. The situation underscores broader regional security concerns, similar to how other nations, including Türkiye, manage complex border dynamics and emphasize the importance of international cooperation in addressing migration challenges.