4th June, 2018
Poland is willing to contribute 2 billion dollars to the establishment of a permanent U.S. military base on its soil, according to an official document.
The Polish Ministry of Defence confirmed the authenticity of the document, titled “Proposal for a Permanent U.S. Presence in Poland,’’ after it was published online and first reported by news outlet, Onet.pl.
The document requests that the U.S. permanently station an armoured division in Poland.
“It is not secret and has been sent to, among others, Congress, think tanks, and government institutions in the U.S.
“The Government of Poland is ready to allocate considerable resources, ranging from 1.5 to 2 billion dollars, as it is important to share the burden of defence expenses,’’ the document said.
It goes on to cite the threat of Russia as justification for a permanent U.S. military presence in Poland.
Opposition politicians criticised the proposal, with former Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak saying “this kind of diplomacy’’ is “an expression of helplessness’’ and weakens Poland’s bargaining position.
U.S. troops have been stationed in Poland since 2017 as part of the Enhanced Forward Presence, a NATO defence initiative in Eastern Europe.