Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz made the remarks in an interview reported by public broadcaster TVP World, saying Warsaw continues to push for deeper American military involvement within Poland and across NATO’s eastern flank.
Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that talks on expanding US troop deployments have been ongoing for months and should not be interpreted as a reaction to recent geopolitical developments outside Europe. He said Poland’s objective remains twofold: to maintain the existing US military presence and to strengthen it further.
“We hope for an increased presence of American forces in Poland, regardless of the situation in the Middle East,” he said, underscoring that the issue is rooted in long-term strategic planning rather than short-term security crises.
He added that the Middle East situation, including tensions linked to the Iran conflict, has not disrupted ongoing cooperation with the United States on NATO force posture in Europe. According to him, discussions on reinforcing NATO’s eastern frontier remain active and are proceeding independently of global developments elsewhere.
“There is no NATO without the US, but there is no US strength or military power without NATO,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said, highlighting what he described as the mutual dependence between Washington and the alliance.
He also used a metaphor to describe the current state of transatlantic relations, saying “the string has been pulled very hard, but not to breaking point,” suggesting that while tensions exist within the alliance, cooperation remains intact.
The comments come amid growing debate over the future of US force distribution in Europe. A recent report by the Wall Street Journal suggested that the Trump administration is considering adjustments to US troop deployments within NATO countries, potentially as part of broader diplomatic pressure on allies deemed insufficiently cooperative during the Iran crisis.
According to the report, Washington is evaluating whether to reposition forces across Europe, though officials have framed such discussions as part of ongoing strategic review rather than immediate withdrawal plans. The report also noted past statements by US President Donald Trump indicating frustration with NATO members, including threats—never acted upon—to reconsider America’s role in the alliance.
Poland, which hosts one of the largest concentrations of US troops in Central and Eastern Europe, has consistently advocated for a stronger permanent American military footprint as a deterrent against regional threats. Polish officials argue that the US presence is central to regional stability and NATO’s credibility, especially given ongoing security concerns along the alliance’s eastern border.
The latest remarks reinforce Warsaw’s position that long-term US military engagement in Poland remains a strategic priority, regardless of evolving crises in other parts of the world.
