The Pentagon has given the green light for the creation of a permanent US military base in Poland, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said after meeting with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington.
According to him, the final decision lies with the White House and is expected to be made in early December. Kosiniak-Kamysz described Poland as a strategic partner of the United States.
Talks on a base and the defence industry
The main topic of the talks was a permanent US military infrastructure on Polish territory. The deepening of bilateral relations and the expansion of cooperation between the Polish and US defence industries were also discussed.
“Representatives of the Pentagon and the Polish Ministry of Defence are engaged in a fruitful dialogue on strengthening the permanent presence of US troops in our country. I am convinced that the details will be announced very soon,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
Before the meeting, he said that the visit preceded the conclusion of the US review of its military presence in Europe. The analysis covers the size and deployment of US forces on the continent and is expected to be completed by the end of the year or, at the latest, in early January.
Hegseth: Poland is an example for NATO
At the start of the meeting, Pete Hegseth described Poland as an example for NATO’s other allies. According to him, the country is building one of the strongest armies in Europe, capable of guaranteeing the security and defence of its own territory.
The Polish government began preparations for a permanent base in June, when it adopted a decision to create the necessary logistical, infrastructure, financial and housing conditions. At the time, the defence minister was tasked with presenting Washington with a proposal, including a possible location and the costs of maintaining the base.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also said in June that the United States was responding positively to the proposal, but stressed that no final decision had yet been made. So far, US troops in Poland have mainly been deployed on a rotational basis.
If the White House approves the project, the location, scale of the base, construction timetable and Poland’s financial contribution will have to be determined.
Sources: wiadomosci.gazeta.pl, polskieradio24.pl, defensenews.com