A closer Polish-US partnership in military matters
18.09.2018
- We are pleased that Poland is the leader when it comes to defense spending. Poland fulfills its obligations. We are interested in providing assistance in the field of defense to those countries that make great efforts to increase their own defense capabilities - said Donald Trump, the president of the USA after the meeting with President Andrzej Duda.
On Tuesday the presidents of Poland and the United States held talks in Washington, attended also by Mariusz Błaszczak, the Minister of National Defense.
Conversations in the White House concerned, among others security, military cooperation and increasing the presence of US troops in Poland. - I am very happy with the presence of the United States Army in Poland. I am inviting the President to send even more soldiers to Poland. The presence of US troops ensures security in our region. (...) The permanent presence of American troops in Poland is also justified by the interests of the United States alone - said President Andrzej Duda at a joint conference with the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
During the conference, President D. Trump also thanked the Poles for their participation in the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
- During Tuesday's talks in Washington, there were no mentions about specific spendings regarding Poland's participation in the costs of maintaining the infrastructure of permanent US bases in Poland, which our country is seeking. (...) This is a process, of course it lasts. We want to increase Poland's defense capabilities, but also to ensure security in our part of the world. President Trump's words show that the United States is involved in this process that is, of course, at a certain stage - Minister Błaszczak said at a meeting with the media in Washington.
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On Tuesday, an agreement was also signed on the deepening of the strategic Polish – US partnership, which sets new cooperation solutions, including in the military sphere.
"We will intensify joint training activities and exercises, strengthen the cooperation of military units and increase the exchange of experience and know-how, including through the exchange of military personnel in command structures, educational centers and training facilities. (...) Poland and the United States are committed to considering options to strengthen the US military role in Poland and to coordinate activities against energy projects threatening common security, including Nord Stream 2 "- said the Polish-US declaration signed on Tuesday in Washington.
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The head of the Defense Ministry is visiting the USA, where he conducts talks on strengthening military cooperation between Poland and USA and on locating a permanent base of US forces in Poland. The Minister talked about increasing the presence of US troops on the eastern flank with Senator Jim Inhof, acting chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, with William Thornberry, chairman of the Armed Forces Committee of the House of Representatives and with Christopher Smith, one of the signatories of the Congressmen’ letter to the Secretary of Defense of the United States in support of the proposal for a permanent US military presence in Poland. All politicians met by the head of the National Defense Ministry agree that the presence of US soldiers on the eastern flank is an increase in security not only in Poland but throughout the region.