FOCUS – Poland aims to host 15,000 U.S. troops

WARSAW, Sept 21 /ATSH-AFP/ – Poland aims to increase the U.S. troop presence on its territory to around 15,000 soldiers, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Stanislaw Wziatek said in an interview with RMF FM.

“We are talking about a target of 15,000 troops,” Wziatek said, explaining the contingent would include around 10,000 rotational troops and 3,500 to 5,000 permanently stationed soldiers.

Currently, Poland hosts around 6,500 to 7,000 U.S. troops on rotation, according to the deputy minister.

U.S. President Donald Trump said last week there had been “great progress” toward establishing a permanent U.S. military base in Poland, as the U.S. administration reviews the American military presence in Europe.

According to Wziatek, the U.S. buildup will be achieved gradually by 2039.

Poland, a NATO and EU member, sits on the alliance’s eastern flank and has sharply increased defense spending since Russia’s war in Ukraine began.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has recently warned of “hybrid” threats from Russia, including drone and missile incidents, while Warsaw has accused Moscow of several sabotage acts since 2022.

Poland is among the NATO countries spending the largest share of GDP on defense, at around 5% of GDP. / a.jor.