The move comes as Warsaw sharply increases defense spending in response to Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine. Under the 2026 budget plan, Poland has earmarked defense outlays equivalent to about 4.8% of GDP, one of the highest projected shares in NATO. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said that protecting Europe’s eastern border is a shared responsibility of both Poland and its NATO and EU partners. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak‑Kamysz said the new center would help Poland draw lessons from Ukraine’s wartime military transformation, particularly in the use of drones and other autonomous systems. The government says the center is intended to link the armed forces, research institutions and the defense industry in support of faster innovation.