Poland welcomes U.S. statements that troop reduction there is temporary
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish officials welcomed U.S. statements Wednesday clarify It was stated that the decision not to deploy 4,000 US soldiers to the Central European country was a temporary measure.
The Polish government reacted with disbelief last week. news It was stated that 4,000 soldiers from the army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division were no longer on their way to the country on the Ukrainian border as planned.
The Trump administration had previously announced this. Cutting off US forces in GermanyThis decision sparked unrest and criticism in both Europe and Washington.
On Tuesday night, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, called it a “temporary delay” in the deployment of U.S. forces to Poland, which he described as a “model U.S. ally.”
Poland will spend the most on defense as a proportion of its economy in 2025 in the NATO military alliance; This rate is around 4.7%.
Parnell said the delay was a result of the United States reducing the number of brigade combat teams assigned to Europe from four to three, and noted that the Pentagon must decide which troops will be deployed where.
Vice President J.D. Vance, also speaking Tuesday night, disputed that the United States had reduced the number of troops in Poland: “This is not a reduction. It’s just a standard rotation delay that sometimes occurs in situations like this.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Wednesday he was happy to hear “Washington’s declaration that Poland will receive the treatment it deserves.”
Speaking with Defense Minister Pete Hegseth on Tuesday night, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the new US statements meant “the US presence is protected.”
He added: “Sometimes a rotating model can become a permanent model, and that is always much better.” There are approximately 10,000 U.S. troops in Poland, the majority of whom are on rotation.
Polish officials said they were told they would participate in discussions about realigning U.S. troops in Europe.
The United States did not say how long the delay would last. Poland’s defense minister said he hoped for an announcement regarding the presence of troops in the coming weeks.
But Tusk said Europeans should not be misled by Washington’s determination to reduce its military presence on the continent and that Europeans must fill the gap.
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said U.S. allies have known for a year that the Trump administration would withdraw some troops from Europe and “rightly expect Europe and Canada to assume a greater responsibility for the conventional defense of NATO and, in particular, the European part of NATO.”
Rutte said the United States “will continue to be involved” but may redirect resources elsewhere in the world over time.
Trump administration warns Europe must do this take care of your own safetyincluding Ukraine’s in the future.
Trump and the Pentagon announced that at least 5,000 troops in Germany will be withdrawn. Chancellor Friedrich Merz He said that the United States was “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized this situation, in his own words. lack of strategy in battle.
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Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed.
