Speaking in an interview about his 10 years in office, Duda said that Poland’s strong ties with Washington set it apart in Central Europe.
He pointed to the presence of American troops on Polish soil as a key element of this partnership.
"We have thousands of US soldiers stationed here, along with American military infrastructure, and troops from other NATO member states," Duda told wPolityce.pl, a right-wing news website, in an interview.
Duda also pointed to Poland’s high defense spending, saying that the country now allocates a greater percentage of its gross domestic product to defense than any other NATO member.
He highlighted Poland’s military modernization efforts, including procurement of K2 tanks, the latest versions of Abrams tanks, HIMARS rocket launchers, and Apache helicopters.
“We have F-35 fighter jets—our pilots are training on them in the United States right now, and they will soon arrive in Poland," Duda said.
He also mentioned the domestically developed Borsuk infantry fighting vehicle, expressing hope that contracts for its production would be finalized soon, making it an export success.
When asked about unfulfilled goals, Duda cited the stalled construction of "Fort Trump," a proposed permanent American military base in Poland, along the lines of Germany's Ramstein US Air Base.
“I say this very seriously. It is meant to be a symbol, like the famous Ramstein base in Germany — a large American military hub that is fortified, strong and permanent,” he said.
He added that he had recently reiterated this idea in discussions with Trump and his Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Duda acknowledged that establishing such a base would take time but said he would be pleased if a decision were made before the end of his term.
'Trump envisions strengthening America's military presence in Poland'
Last Saturday, Duda and Trump discussed Poland's security amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine at a meeting in Washington.
They at the time reaffirmed "the close alliance" between Poland and the United States, according to the White House.
During the meeting, Trump confirmed that he "envisions strengthening the American military presence in Poland rather than reducing it," Duda told reporters.
He added that Trump described Poland as "one of the most reliable allies" and noted that Poland and the United States "are connected not only by military ties but also by growing economic cooperation."
Duda also said that during their meeting, he invited Trump to visit Poland.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, polskieradio24.pl