Trump: The U.S. is Considering Military Presence in Poland

On Tuesday, September 17, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, stated that the U.S. is considering a military presence in Poland. According to Reuters, Andrzej Duda, the President of Poland, proposed during his meeting with Trump at the White House that the U.S. establish a permanent base in Poland, which would be named after Donald Trump. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump agreed with Duda's view that Russia's behavior in the region is aggressive and that the U.S. is examining Poland's request for a permanent base in the country. The U.S. President also welcomed Poland's proposal of $2 billion to assist with this project. Trump said, 'We are looking at this very seriously; I know Poland is very much in favor of such an idea, and yes, this is something we are considering.' Russia had previously expressed concern in May of this year over the proposal for a U.S. military base in Poland, stating that the expansion of NATO towards Russia's borders would lead to instability in Europe. Poland joined NATO in 1999 along with Hungary and the Czech Republic, while several other former communist countries have also joined NATO. Poland has repeatedly proposed its desire for a permanent U.S. military presence in the country. A permanent American military presence in a base in Poland would entail costs, including the deployment of military personnel's families. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis also stated that the U.S. Army is considering options regarding Poland, but no final decision has been made yet. Mattis mentioned that the issue is not just about establishing a base, but also involves matters such as training and the supply and maintenance of equipment at the base. A range of issues needs to be negotiated with the Poles regarding this matter.