Poland’s Krzysztof Gawkowski calls for Cold War-style AI deterrence

Polish Deputy Prime Minister Calls for Cold War-Era AI Deterrence Across Europe

Europe needs a security doctrine modeled on Cold War mutually assured destruction to counter state-backed artificial intelligence warfare, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski warned on November 7, 2026. Speaking during a conversation with journalists reported by Euronews, Gawkowski stated that frontier large language models function as force multipliers that require a complete overhaul of continental defense strategies.

Tenfold Increase in Cyber Incidents Projected for 2027

Gawkowski, who also oversees Poland’s Ministry for Digital Affairs, estimated that cyberattacks targeting Poland will rise tenfold in 2027. While state security apparatuses remain well-equipped to handle standard cybercriminals, state-level adversaries present an entirely different scale of threat, according to the Polish official.

The Polish minister specifically identified Russia and Belarus among the state actors whose actions Europe must monitor closely. Gawkowski asserted that the continent faces an active digital war, placing front-line nations like Poland directly in the path of hostilities. Some countries are on the front line, like Poland, while others are not yet on that front, but their time will come too, he said.

Recent Supermarket Disruptions Serve as a Prelude to Critical Infrastructure Threats

Recent cyberattacks targeting dozens of supermarkets across Europe disrupted commercial refrigeration and freezer units, causing millions in losses. Gawkowski described these incidents during his conversation with journalists as a mere prelude to larger-scale disruptions. The official warned similar AI-driven infiltration tactics could soon target power plants, hospitals, and other essential facilities required for societal functioning.

Rebutting the terminology favored by military allies, Gawkowski rejected the label of hybrid warfare. He insisted that digital attacks striking power plants and medical facilities constitute modern acts of war that demand an explicit retaliatory posture. If a bomb dropped on a power plant, would anyone in Europe doubt that we were at war? If a tank rolled in and destroyed a supermarket, would anyone question whether a war was taking place? Gawkowski asked, adding, Yet, today, we are facing exactly these kinds of attacks. Digital bombs are falling on power plants, striking supermarkets and hitting hospitals in Poland, causing them to cease operations. And let us be clear: this is no coincidence, he noted.

Shifting European Security Strategy Beyond NATO’s 2024 Framework

NATO last revised its official artificial intelligence strategy in 2024. Gawkowski urged European governments to abandon policies of turning a blind eye to the rising tide of automated cyber assaults.

Establishing effective deterrence requires European nations to communicate a clear readiness to strike back against state-sponsored aggression. Without a credible threat of mutual retaliation, the continent risks crossing a threshold where defensive counterstrikes become impossible.