EditPoland wants 15,000 U.S. troops as Trump backs permanent base
The cost of preparing the infrastructure for the permanent U.S. base is expected to exceed €3.5 billion
Poland wants to eventually host around 15,000 U.S. troops on its territory, including up to 5,000 permanently stationed at a planned U.S. military base, Deputy Defence Minister Stanisław Wziątek said on Monday, as Russia’s war against neighbouring Ukraine heads into its fifth winter.
“We are talking about a target of 15,000 troops. I am very careful in providing all this information, because it is not only Poles who listen to us,” Wziątek told private broadcaster RMF.
According to the deputy defence minister, the contingent would include around 10,000 to 11,000 troops deployed on a rotational basis, as well as between 4,000 and 5,000 permanently stationed personnel.
“15 000 American soldiers in Poland means strength, the defensive capabilities of our country and allied cooperation,” Wziątek said. He added that this was how the presence of U.S. troops should be viewed if it is treated as one of the instruments deterring Russia from possible aggression.
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that “major progress” had been made towards establishing a permanent U.S. Army base in Poland, as his administration reviews the U.S. military presence in Europe.
Trump flags “major progress” on a U.S. Army base in Poland after talks with Nawrocki
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the location of the base could be announced “very soon”, crediting what he called the “bold leadership” of Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
According to Wziątek, the planned U.S. military presence would be built up in stages, with the pace depending on the international situation and the changing level of threat. The full target could potentially be reached before 2039.
“The greater the threat, the faster the real action will be to strengthen both bilateral cooperation with the Americans and NATO capabilities,” he said. At the same time, Wziątek acknowledged that Poland would not reach the target of 15,000 U.S. troops by 2030.
The cost of preparing the infrastructure for the permanent U.S. base is expected to exceed 15 billion zlotys (€3.5 billion), according to Wziątek. He said the government would adopt special legislation on the project and allocate “special financial resources”.
Potential locations
On 10 and 11 September, Poland was visited by a US delegation headed by Thomas DiNanno, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, and William Cappelletti, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for NATO and Europe.
The US officials met representatives of the Polish Defence Ministry and the Chancellery of the President. The permanent presence of US troops in Poland was among the issues discussed, and the delegation was presented with potential locations for the future base.
Unofficial reports have suggested that the base could be built in western Poland, although locations in the Masuria region have also been mentioned. In June, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Washington had responded positively to Poland’s proposal to establish a permanent US military presence, although the process remained subject to further decisions.
Last week, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned of potential “hybrid” threats from Russia against countries supporting Ukraine, including possible “accidental” drone and missile strikes against NATO countries
Poland, a NATO and EU member on the Alliance’s eastern flank, has repeatedly accused Russia of carrying out sabotage operations since 2022. Warsaw is also among the NATO members spending the largest share of its economy on defence, with defence expenditure approaching 5% of GDP.
U.S. military in Europe
The US currently has between 80,000 and 100,000 troops deployed across Europe, depending on rotational deployments and operational requirements. Around 68,000 are permanently assigned to US bases on the continent, excluding rotational forces.
Тhe Trump administration is reviewing both the size and the location of the US footprint as Washington pushes European allies to take greater responsibility for conventional defence. Poland currently hosts several thousand U.S. troops on a rotational basis, alongside a smaller permanent US presence. The country has repeatedly offered to finance infrastructure for a larger US deployment and has been discussing possible locations for a permanent American base.
Trump’s announcement on 17 September that “major progress” had been made towards establishing a permanent US Army base in Poland therefore comes at a significant moment.
It suggests that any future reduction in the overall U.S. presence in Europe does not necessarily mean an even geographical withdrawal. Instead, Washington could seek to concentrate some of its forces in locations considered strategically important to NATO’s eastern flank – and low-cost.
Sources: RMF FM, Rzeczpospolita, BTA, Reuters
Caption: US Army soldiers take part in a military parade marking Polish Armed Forces Day in Warsaw, Poland, 15 August 2026. Polish Armed Forces Day is a national holiday observed annually on 15 August, commemorating Poland’s 1920 victory over Soviet Russia in the Battle of Warsaw during the Polish-Soviet War. EPA/Leszek Szymanski
Updated: September 22, 2026 - 05:35
