Poland discusses permanent U.S. base as defence talks with Washington continue

Poland is in talks with Washington on the possibility of a permanent U.S. military base, according to deputy defence minister Pawel Zalewski. He said the initial phase of the process is finished and that political will for the project has been expressed for some time. Currently, roughly 10,000 U.S. soldiers operate in Poland mainly through rotational deployments.

The United States recently launched a review of its European presence, pressing European nations to assume primary responsibility for conventional defence. Poland, a key NATO eastern-flank member that spends about 5% of its GDP on defence, seeks to deepen the American footprint. Zalewski noted that Washington has informed Warsaw of an American team that will act as a partner in the negotiations, but no official deal has been signed. The discussions occur amid broader NATO pressure on members to meet 2025 defence-spending commitments.