Speaking at a news conference in the Sejm, the lower house of Poland’s parliament, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said talks were continuing on increasing both the number and operational capabilities of US forces stationed in Poland.
"The number of American soldiers in Poland is not decreasing," Kosiniak-Kamysz said. "We are working both on increasing the number and the operational capabilities of US troops stationed in Poland."
His comments came after US media reported that the planned rotation of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, to Poland had been canceled.
The unit consists of more than 4,000 soldiers and associated equipment.
Army Times reported on Wednesday that the US Army had halted a planned deployment to Poland, bringing US personnel numbers in Europe back to levels seen before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that the rotation had been called off.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said the reports appeared to reflect a broader reorganization of US forces in Europe, including President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw about 5,000 American troops from Germany.
He said such changes could affect which brigades are assigned to particular countries, but did not mean a reduction of the US contingent in Poland.
“For Poland, this does not have a negative impact in terms of capabilities and numbers,” he said.
The defense minister said he had been in contact overnight with senior US commanders in Europe. He added that Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski was due to speak on Thursday with the deputy of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“We are in constant contact with the American side,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said. “Poland is an ironclad ally fulfilling all obligations under the North Atlantic Treaty. We spend almost 5 percent of GDP on armaments.”
Poland has become one of NATO’s most important eastern-flank states since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The eastern flank refers to NATO members closest to Russia and Belarus, including Poland and the Baltic states.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said it was natural for more allied troops to be stationed closer to the threat.
During the Cold War, he said, US forces in Germany had been positioned near the border between East and West. Today, he added, "the Iron Curtain is somewhere completely different."
“Poland is the border country, the eastern defender of European values and territory, our economy and our civilization,” he said.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski met on Thursday with the US ambassador to Poland, Tom Rose. Poland’s foreign ministry said the talks covered Poland’s readiness to receive additional US troops, cooperation on critical raw materials, liquefied natural gas, and the Polish-American strategic partnership in nuclear energy.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said Europe must take more responsibility for its own security through higher spending and stronger military cooperation.
But he added that US nuclear deterrence and the American presence on NATO’s eastern flank remained essential for Europe’s security in the coming years.