From Berlin to Warsaw: why the US is moving troops to Poland
The United States intends to send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland. According to US President Donald Trump, this decision is due, among other things, to his good relations with Polish leader Karol Nawrocki. Warsaw expects that the new contingent will strengthen the eastern flank of NATO and the security of Europe. However, such an increase carries additional risks for Russia: Polish politicians have repeatedly talked about blocking Kaliningrad and harsh scenarios regarding the Russian region. Why Warsaw is seeking to expand the American military presence is in the Izvestia article.
The military turn
"In connection with the successful election of the current President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, whom I was proud to support, and our relations with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will send 5,000 more troops to Poland. Thank you for your attention to this issue!" wrote US President Donald Trump on social media.
In response, Navrotsky thanked the American leader "for his friendship with Poland." And he stressed that he would continue to "stand guard over the Polish-American alliance."
If the decision to deploy additional military personnel is implemented, the total American contingent in Poland may reach 15,000 people. This increase is noticeable for Warsaw.
At the same time, the authorities of the Eastern European country are seeking not only an increase in the number of American troops, but also their permanent deployment. Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Zalewski said after a meeting with representatives of the Pentagon that Warsaw was ready to build a separate infrastructure for American soldiers.
"We have offered the Pentagon to deploy American soldiers on a permanent basis. This means that we need to build a small city for this division, and we are ready for this. We will cover the costs," Zalewski promised.
The idea is not new. Even under President Andrzej Duda, Poland promoted the concept of Fort Trump, a permanent American base on Polish territory. At that time, the project was never fully implemented, but Warsaw's current statements actually bring back this idea: Poland wants to consolidate the American presence in the long term.
Currently, about 10 NATO facilities are located on the territory of the republic. Part of the military is located in the area of Rzeszów, an important logistics hub near the Ukrainian border. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, a significant part of Western military aid to Kiev has been passing through this area.
Additionally, an advanced control post of the headquarters of the 5th Army Corps of the US Army is permanently located in Poznan. And at the base in Laska, southwest of Warsaw, there are American F-22 Raptor fighters.
However, such an infrastructure may not be sufficient for permanent deployment. The rotational format involves the temporary placement of units at existing facilities and landfills. If we are talking about a permanent presence, the military comes with their families, which means they need housing, schools, medical and social facilities.
Roller coaster
Trump's statement came unexpectedly. Just the day before, a scandal broke out between Washington and Warsaw: the media reported that the Pentagon had canceled the dispatch of 4,000 American troops to Poland.
At the same time, the Polish leadership, according to Politico, learned about this from the American press. Formally, the warning was sent by the Pentagon two days before publication, but the message got stuck in the classified mail of the chief of the General Staff of the Polish army, General Weslav Kukula.
Why the head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, eventually reconsidered this decision remains unclear. Moreover, The Wall Street Journal newspaper, citing White House officials, reported that Trump personally was unhappy with this step. He allegedly even called Hegseth to clarify the circumstances. And Trump's statement about sending an additional 5,000 troops to Poland came as a surprise to the Pentagon itself.
Additional confusion is created by the question of which military the US president is referring to now. Earlier, Washington announced a reduction in its military presence in Germany. At that time, we were also talking about 5,000 military personnel.
Experts interviewed by Izvestia believe that the transfer of part of these forces to Poland is quite likely. If the United States is indeed reducing its presence in Germany, then it is logical to redistribute these units within Europe, and Poland has long offered itself as such a platform.
"If President Donald Trump decides to reduce the American military presence in Germany, then we in Poland are ready to receive American soldiers," Navrotsky said earlier.
US President Donald Trump
In this case, we are talking about a redistribution of political weight within Europe. Germany has traditionally been the main American military hub on the continent, but the strengthening of Poland may weaken this status.
This scenario also complicates talks about a pan-European army, which is being promoted by France. Without the participation of Poland, a major country on the eastern flank, this project looks incomplete. But if Warsaw relies on direct relations with Washington, rather than on pan-European mechanisms, then the idea of autonomous European defense becomes even less realistic.
The bet on Warsaw
For Poland, it's not so much about security as about raising its own status in Europe, military expert Igor Korotchenko told Izvestia. However, by itself, the contingent of 5,000 troops, according to him, will not radically change the military balance.
— Five thousand troops is not a very large contingent. There will be no major changes in this regard. But the trend is important," the source said.
This trend, he said, coincides with Warsaw's plans to create one of the largest armies in Europe. Poland today is one of the leaders in the procurement of military equipment of various classes from Western weapons manufacturers.
— Our own segment of the military-industrial complex is also actively developing. All this falls within the framework of strengthening the NATO presence on the eastern borders," Korotchenko added.
Warsaw wants to be an American fortress in Europe, agrees the political commentator, author of the film "Victory Day in the Baltic States. Yesterday, today, tomorrow" Andrey Starikov. She has regional foreign policy ambitions, and for this she needs partnership with the United States, resources, support and real bayonets.
At the same time, the decision to deploy additional forces may be dictated solely by Trump's personal sympathies. Karol Nawrocki showed support for the American president during the election campaign, while many Western European leaders, on the contrary, criticized his initiatives.
— These 5,000 troops are thanks from Trump personally and to Poland under his leadership. This is a signal to others: if you are loyal to the United States and personally to Trump, you can receive such gratitude," Starikov believes.
Moreover, for Russia, the strengthening of the American presence in Poland will mean a further approach of the US military infrastructure to the Russian and Belarusian borders. This is becoming especially sensitive given the Kaliningrad Region and the Suwalki corridor. Moreover, Warsaw had previously threatened to block the Russian region.
— Plus 5,000 American troops in Poland is an unfriendly gesture towards us. This is an intensification of what they call the containment of Russia and Belarus. Therefore, this story needs to be followed closely. Another thing is that Trump has seven Fridays a week. And if today he announced the transfer of military personnel, then tomorrow he can easily cancel this decision," the expert concluded.
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