---
title: "Poland prepares for a 'state of full readiness': a new status for war before war is declared"
description: "Poland is introducing a new legal status of 'full readiness for war' to enable action before the official declaration of martial law. 🇵🇱⚔️ This will allow for the acceleration of infrastructure construction and the deployment of NATO troops, as well as stricter penalties for insubordination in the army."
date: 2026-07-16T15:26:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/poland-prepares-for-a-state-of-full-readiness-for-war
tags: [poland, nato, war-preparedness, maciej-samsonowicz, russia-ukraine-war]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Poland prepares for a 'state of full readiness': a new status for war before war is declared

![Polish soldiers in full combat gear with weapons at the ready, symbolizing the transition to a 'state of full readiness' for war before its official declaration.](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/16/polsya-gotovit-sostoyanie-polnoy-gotovnosti-k-voyne/polsya-gotovit-sostoyanie-polnoy-gotovnosti-k-voyne-1.webp)

Poland is developing a radically new legal mechanism designed to bridge the legislative gap between peacetime and the official commencement of hostilities. Advisor to the Minister of National Defence, Maciej Samsonowicz, has announced the creation of a status termed 'state of full national readiness for war'.

This move aims to enable Warsaw to rapidly mobilize resources and deploy troops without waiting for the formal declaration of martial law, which under current realities may prove to be a too-late decision.

### Eliminating the legal gap

According to Samsonowicz, the current legal framework does not account for scenarios where the threat of invasion already looms over the country, yet the legal procedures for a state of emergency have not yet been initiated. The new status will allow the government to begin preparing strategic infrastructure and receiving NATO allied forces at the earliest stages of escalation.

"We cannot wait a year and a half, or the standard two or three years, to build anything," emphasized the advisor, criticizing bureaucratic procedures that could block critical security projects.

### Accelerating construction and logistics

Alongside the introduction of the new status, the defense ministry is preparing a bill on strategic investments. Its key objective is to streamline administrative and environmental procedures for the construction of defense facilities. Priority is given to roads, ports, airfields, and fuel depots.

In the event of an escalation, the army will receive expanded powers to coordinate military convoys even before active combat operations begin. Poland also plans to utilize European funds under the concept of a 'Military Schengen' to modernize logistics and ensure the rapid reception of aid from partners.

### Tightening discipline and the 'Eastern Shield'

Against the backdrop of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Warsaw is revising its criminal legislation. The army plans to introduce severe penalties—up to 30 years in prison for insubordination. These reforms are based on the experience of Ukrainian resistance.

Simultaneously, efforts continue to strengthen the border with Russia and Belarus under the 'Eastern Shield' program. However, the pace of work remains a subject of public debate: over six months, the large-scale program has covered only 61 kilometers of the border.

Currently, the documents are in the internal drafting stage, and the timeline for their submission to the Sejm has not yet been determined. Previously, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that Russia lacks the resources for a direct attack, yet Warsaw continues to act in anticipation.