The Prime Minister of Poland visits the defensive fortifications on the border with Russia

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited his country’s border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region to inspect progress on building military fortifications along the eastern border, calling it “an investment in peace”.

Mr Tusk’s visit on Saturday comes a month before Poland takes over the rotating presidency of the 27-member European Union.

Polish officials say their priority is to urge Europeans to strengthen their defenses at a time of Russian aggression and changes soon to follow in Washington.

Some European leaders are concerned that the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump could be less committed to Europe’s defense.

Mr Tusk also proposed this week that Poland and the Nordic and Baltic countries conduct joint naval patrols in the strategically important Baltic Sea after alleged sabotage of undersea data cables.

Poland’s government and military began building the system called East Shield this year.

It will eventually include about 500 miles along Poland’s borders with Russia and Belarus, at a time when Western officials accuse Russia of waging hybrid attacks against the West that include sabotage, migration facilitation, disinformation and other hostile measures.

“The better the Polish border is guarded, the more difficult it is for those with bad intentions to access,” Tusk told a news conference near the village of Dabrowka, as he stood in front of concrete anti-tank barriers.

Poland has been at the mercy of aggressive neighbors for centuries and has become a leading European voice for security at a time when France and Germany are weakened by domestic political problems.

Poland aims to spend 4.7 percent of its gross domestic product on defense next year, becoming one of NATO’s leaders in defense spending.

Tusk’s government estimates the strategic military project will cost at least 10 billion zlotys (£1.96 billion).

Poland’s borders with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are the easternmost external borders of both the European Union and NATO.

Tusk said he expected the Eastern Shield would eventually be expanded to protect the small Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

“Everything we are doing here and we will do it on the border with Belarus and Ukraine is to deter and deter a potential aggressor, which is why it is really an investment in peace,” Tusk said.

“We will spend billions of zlotys on this, but right now the whole of Europe is watching these investments and our actions with great satisfaction and will support them if necessary.”

He did not elaborate on his plans to strengthen the border with Ukraine, a close ally.

Along the border, anti-tank barriers known as “hedgehogs” will be integrated with natural barriers such as ditches.

Tusk said parts of the project are not visible to the naked eye, but it is still the largest project of its kind in Europe since the end of World War II.

The plans also include building reconnaissance and threat detection systems, forward bases, logistics hubs, warehouses and deploying anti-drone systems, state news agency PAP reported.