Poland and Lithuania are preparing a cross-border evacuation plan that could allow civilians from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to move through Poland during a major crisis or military threat. The work is being tested through Lithuania’s national crisis-management exercises, but authorities stress that the drills are precautionary and do not signal an imminent threat.
The proposal highlights the growing importance of civil protection, transport infrastructure and regional coordination in the Baltic region. It also places renewed attention on the Suwałki gap, the land corridor linking Poland and Lithuania and connecting the Baltic states with the rest of the European Union and NATO allies.
What the evacuation plan would involve
Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre, said Polish and Lithuanian representatives were examining the procedures and infrastructure needed for a possible international evacuation operation.
The work includes assessing:
- How residents would be warned and directed to safety
- Where assembly and registration points could be established
- Transport capacity and routes across the border
- How evacuees could be moved through successive regions
- Reception, accommodation and support in Poland
A detailed plan is expected to be developed after Poland and Lithuania reach an appropriate agreement. The proposal could provide a framework for receiving civilians from all three Baltic states if a severe emergency made movement within the region necessary.
Exercises test Lithuania’s crisis procedures
The preparations are taking place during Lithuania’s “Vyčio Skliautas 2026” exercises, which began on 25 September and are scheduled to continue until 3 October. The drills are designed to test Lithuania’s national mobilisation system and cooperation between public authorities and other organisations.
About 3,000 officials, officers and representatives of institutions, local authorities, companies and non-governmental organisations are taking part, alongside approximately 1,000 volunteers. A Polish delegation of around 20 people from different institutions has also joined the activities.
One practical element is the testing of civilian evacuation procedures. The exercise is examining warning systems, registration arrangements, transport coordination and the movement of people between regions. These activities are intended to identify gaps and improve preparedness rather than predict a specific event.
Why civil protection matters
Effective evacuation planning depends on more than identifying roads. Authorities must coordinate emergency services, local governments, transport operators, border officials, accommodation providers and communications systems.
Planning in advance can help clarify:
- Which authorities would make operational decisions
- How vulnerable people would receive assistance
- How population movements would be recorded
- Where temporary reception centres could operate
- How essential services would continue during a crisis
The cross-border element adds another layer of complexity because responsibilities would need to be coordinated between national and regional authorities in different countries.
The strategic importance of the Suwałki gap
The Suwałki gap is a narrow area between Poland and Lithuania that provides the principal land connection between the Baltic states and the rest of the European Union. Its roads and other infrastructure are important for civilian movement, military mobility and the delivery of supplies.
In a serious regional crisis, the corridor could therefore have both humanitarian and strategic significance. Lithuanian officials have described the area as important from a military and logistical perspective, while the evacuation planning underlines its potential role in supporting civilians.
The corridor’s importance is also linked to the Baltic states’ geography. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are connected to one another but have limited land access to other EU and NATO countries. Any plan for receiving evacuees would consequently need to account for the capacity of routes leading into northeastern Poland.
Poland prepares to receive evacuees
Polish authorities are examining how the country could receive and accommodate people arriving from the Baltic states. In September, representatives from Lithuania and Latvia visited Poland for discussions and a study trip focused on mass evacuation, civil protection, reception arrangements and accommodation.
Officials from Polish services and institutions responsible for security and civil protection took part in those talks. Poland’s Podlaskie Voivodeship, which borders Lithuania, is expected to be particularly relevant because it could serve as a transit area for people travelling south and west.
Lithuania has already developed a national evacuation plan for residents facing a military threat or other major crisis. One of its principal routes runs from Vilnius towards the Polish border. The discussions with Poland are intended to build on that national planning and address what would happen after people crossed into Poland.
What happens next
The current work remains at the planning and exercise stage. It is not an announced evacuation operation, and the exercises do not mean that Lithuanian or Polish authorities are expecting an imminent attack.
The next steps include further analysis of procedures, transport routes, infrastructure capacity and reception arrangements. A more detailed international framework would depend on an agreement between Poland and Lithuania and on continued coordination with Latvia and Estonia.
For the wider European security debate, the initiative demonstrates how governments are expanding civil-protection planning alongside military preparedness. It also shows why cross-border infrastructure and cooperation are central to crisis response in the Baltic region.
Conclusion
Poland and Lithuania are developing a cross-border evacuation plan for civilians from the Baltic states, supported by Lithuania’s “Vyčio Skliautas 2026” exercises. The proposal is precautionary, not evidence of an imminent threat, but it reflects the strategic importance of the Suwałki gap and the need for coordinated civil protection across Europe. The immediate priority is to turn the exercise findings into agreed procedures for transport, reception and humanitarian support.
