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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Richard Partington in Warsaw

Poland is racing ahead with military spending – but will it help or damage its economic growth story?

Polish army tank crew members stand in formation before a battle tank
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Polish defence spending as a share of GDP has more than doubled from 2.2% to 4.8% this year. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

A short distance north from Warsaw along the Vistula river, camouflaged missile launchers roll through the quiet village of Czosnów.

As recently as two years ago, their destination – a hi-tech weapons facility opened this month – had been a cornfield. Now, as Poland drives up defence investment at one of the fastest rates in the developed world, this rural spot has been transformed amid Europe’s response to Russian aggression and US disengagement.

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