Poland and Lithuania prepare Baltic evacuation plan
Officials said the plan centres on the Suwałki gap to preserve overland access between NATO allies and the Baltic states in a contingency.
Mateo Fernandez ·
Poland and Lithuania are preparing a joint cross-border evacuation plan for the Baltic states, officials said on September 27, 2026, citing the Suwałki gap as central. Reaction pending.
Suwałki gap contingency
Officials described the Suwałki gap as a narrow strip of territory linking Poland and Lithuania that connects the Baltic states with other NATO allies and the European Union. They said securing that corridor underpins the plan because it is the main overland route for reinforcements and civilian movement between the region and allied territory.
Officials said the draft plan would set out transit corridors, command arrangements and civilian evacuation protocols. They said it could also define coordination mechanisms between military and civil authorities in Poland, Lithuania and the three Baltic states, while noting that any allied contributions would be discussed with partners.
On regional readiness, officials said the exercise of preparing the plan will inform logistics and civil-defence planning across northern Europe. They added that the work is intended to ensure practical arrangements are in place so authorities can move people and materiel along agreed routes if a security crisis restricts other access.
Officials said they aim to present a draft plan within two weeks, by October 11, 2026, and to brief NATO partners thereafter. They said further details, including which units or agencies would be tasked with execution, will be released after consultations.