On Friday, at the inauguration ceremony of the unit to be located in the western city of Poznań, defence minister Mariusz Błaszczak said the increased US military presence in Poland was one of his priorities.
“Poland and the United States are joined by a strategic partnership based on shared values, traditional ties of friendship and respect for each other’s interests," Błaszczak said.
He added that “it is thanks to permanent forces and options to strengthen them that the security level for Poland and the region will rise dramatically.” According to Błaszczak “Poland will at last cease to be perceived as a buffer state”.
US Ambassador to Poland Georgette Mosbacher said that US and Polish soldiers “stand shoulder to shoulder, ready to give their lives if needed, in the defence of freedom and support for peace.”
Under a military deal endorsed by the Polish and US presidents last week, the US Army will permanently relocate a division-level headquarters to Poland from Germany. Late September Polish President Andrzej Duda and US leader Donald Trump signed a military agreement on locations for more American troops in Poland. Under the document, a forward command headquarters will be established in Poland's western city of Poznań, alongside a range of facilities in other locations.
Commenting on the deal, Krzysztof Szczerski, chief of staff to the Polish president said that headquartering a US division-level command unit in Poland raises Polish-US military partnership to a whole new level.
Around 4,500 rotating American troops are already stationed in Poland on average as part of a NATO force.
(mo)
Source: PAP, IAR