The bureau, known by its Polish acronym BBN, said the changes are connected to the planned withdrawal of the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Regiment stationed in Vilseck, Germany, and stressed that the United States remains Poland's most important strategic partner. Approximately 10,000 American soldiers and civilian defense personnel are currently based in Poland, BBN said.
"In BBN's assessment, reports about a suspension of rotations and a reduction of U.S. presence do not directly and ultimately concern Poland", the bureau said in a statement posted on platform X.
BBN said a rotation by the 1st Cavalry Division from Fort Hood, Texas, is currently underway, with more than 20 percent of planned troops and around 70 percent of military equipment for the new rotation already transported to Poland. The bureau added that following its withdrawal from Germany, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment could potentially replace part of an Armored Brigade Combat Team previously planned for deployment in Poland.
BBN also flagged the absence of clear arrangements regarding any changes to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, known as EDCA, signed in 2020 to govern the stationing of U.S. forces in Poland, and said the defense ministry had not received advance notice of changes to American troop movement schedules.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz sought to reassure the public, saying no decision had been made to reduce U.S. engagement in Poland and that the Polish-American relationship rests on "daily cooperation, mutual engagement and trust".
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday that the changes were logistical in nature and would not affect Poland's security.
The statements came after Reuters reported, citing anonymous U.S. officials, that the Pentagon had canceled plans to rotate approximately 4,000 soldiers to Poland. CNN reported the decision was part of broader efforts to reduce the U.S. military footprint in Europe.
(jh)
Source: PAP