US has no intention of pulling troops from Poland, says Trump
The United States has no intention of withdrawing troops from Poland, U.S. President Donald Trump said in Washington during a meeting with his newly elected Polish counterpart, Karol Nawrocki.
The US military presence could even be expanded, he added.
"We have never considered the possibility of withdrawing troops from Poland. We are analyzing this in connection with other countries, but we fully support Poland and will help it defend itself," Mr Trump said.
He also stressed that relations between Washington and Warsaw have always been strong, but "now they are better than ever."
Mr Nawrocki described the talks as a "diplomatic success," saying that Mr Trump had offered Poland "security guarantees" and highlighted their cooperation as military allies.
According to him, concrete proposals to expand the US presence in Poland were discussed. Mr Nawrocki invited the US president to visit Warsaw, but the date of the visit is yet to be confirmed.
US troops in Poland
Currently, around 10,000 US soldiers are stationed in Poland. Former President Andrzej Duda stated on February 22 that following a meeting with Mr Trump, US troops would not be withdrawn and could even be increased. "We should expect the ties to strengthen, because we are a reliable ally within NATO. Poland's security is a fundamental matter in which the US is investing," he said.
However, in April, Washington announced the withdrawal of military personnel from the Jasionka airfield, near Rzeszów—a logistics hub for military support to Ukraine. US authorities specified that the personnel and equipment would be redistributed to other bases in Poland. The US Army Europe and Africa command said the move "will save American taxpayers tens of millions of dollars." Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the decision was coordinated with the Polish side and did not involve a reduction in troop numbers.
The move, however, drew criticism from Polish media and experts. Gazeta Wyborcza wrote on April 9 that the withdrawal from Jasionka was "a bad sign," while columnist Bartosz Wieliński commented: "In corporate language, 'optimization' means cutting costs. In America, power has been taken over by people who want to turn the state into a corporation. They use an axe instead of a scalpel."
Former Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz called the decision "the weakening of the West in relation to Russia," given the war in Ukraine, adding that Vladimir Putin "will certainly appreciate this gesture."
Karol Nawrocki, a representative of the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, won the Polish presidential elections on June 1 in the second round. With the slogan "Poland first," Mr Nawrocki models his political style on Donald Trump, whom he considers a role model.
The Washington visit is Mr Nawrocki’s first foreign trip since taking office in August. Mr Trump praised his election victory, saying: "It was a pretty tough race, pretty nasty, and he beat everyone. And he beat everyone very easily, and now, as people have gotten to know him better, he has become even more popular."
Domestically, the Polish president recently drew attention with his decision in late August to block a bill to extend social benefits for Ukrainian refugees. He also announced a legislative initiative that would equate so-called "Banderist" symbols with Nazi and communist ones, banning their display in Poland.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
