Poland's relations from the US are “to even higher level,” said Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak -Kamysz after meeting the head of Pentagon Peta HegeSthem. As he said, a joint weapon production is to be a tangible example. He also announced that on June 16 Poland would receive the first Apache helicopters.
In this way, Kosiniak-Kamysz summed up his meeting with the American defense minister during a briefing in Washington.
“Polish -American relations go to a higher level. And this is our common goal with the Secretary of Defense, this is our common direction, so that not only purchases (equipment), but joint production is synonymous with our friendship. This is happening,” said the head of the Ministry of National Defense. “As for the tangible effects of this, a large economic mission, American companies, will come to Poland, we will take them, show spaces for investment,” he added.
He also said that he informed HegeSetha that thanks to the actions of the Polish Presidency in the EU, a package of European SAFE defense investments was adopted in a formula favorable to both Poland and the USA, where 65 percent. The equipment is to come from Europe, but the rest can be bought from other allies.
The deputy head of the government also reported that the first APACHE helicopters would come to Poland on June 16.
“A year ago, before the Polish Army Day, I signed a contract for about $ 10 billion for the purchase of 96 Apache. At the beginning of this year, another leasing agreement, so that we would overwhelm this equipment as soon as possible, so that Polish pilots have mastered the best, best captured this equipment and serve it best. The eight Apache comes to Poland on June 16.
He said that the talks also concerned the production of weapons and double -application equipment for sale for Ukraine. HegeSeth was to confirm that American equipment – approved by President Biden – goes to Ukraine and will continue to go there.
When asked by PAP if he heard a clear declaration from HegeSth regarding the future presence of the US troops in Poland, he replied that he was calm about it.
“We have something that is extremely durable, this is the base in Redzikowo, which is a permanent presence, the most durable, because it is a strategic point for the security of the United States, not only Poland. We have the presence of the 5th Corps, we have presence in Bolesławiec, we have presence in Jasionka all the time, we have the presence in Drawsko, at various training grounds,” said Kosiniak -Kamysz.
“We are the most loyal ally and I take out of this meeting that if someone in Europe can sleep peacefully today about the presence of American soldiers on their territory, it is Poland,” he said. “We are not in the first country in terms of numbers – because the most numerous presence is in Germany, there are 37,000, about 10,000 in Poland, and 12-13 thousand in Italy – but we are in this rate a country that has the greatest trust from the United States,” he added.
As the deputy head of the Ministry of National Defense Paweł Zalewski pointed out, the US is currently reviewing forces in Europe, but “they perfectly understand that this presence in Europe is needed when it comes to abilities, not necessarily when it comes to numbers.”
“Poland is the country that is absolutely crucial from the point of view of the implementation of tasks that American troops in Europe fulfill and will fulfill. And this is also the reason why we are calm about our relations and the presence of American forces in Poland,” he argued.
At the same time, the deputy prime minister said that Poland supports the postulate of Donald Trump, that allies in NATO would spend 5 percent on reinforcements and infrastructure needed for troops. GDP, but noted that he was behind the variant reported by NATO Secretary of Marek Rutti, to 3.5 percent. Steal for defense and armament, and 1.5 for infrastructure.
Kosiniak-Kamysz denied that his visit to the US was related to elections in Poland, but argued that, contrary to the narrative of the opposition, relations with Washington are currently the best in history.
“This gives resistance to these lies disseminated by our political opponents, by PiS, that only they were guaranteeing good relations with the states, and especially now, as the new administration is. This is nonsense, as you can see,” he argued.
He reminded that in three months he met with HegeSthem twice, Poland was the target of the first foreign journey through the head of the Pentagon, and Tuesday's talks took place in delegations at the highest level: the meeting was attended by two deputies of Hegetha and the highest military rank, chairman of the college of the college of bosses of the bosses of the staffs of Gen. Dan “Raizin” Caine.
The deputy prime minister also answered the question about the election and statement of the ABW spokesperson that the officer checking Karol Nawrocki in 2021 issued a negative opinion as to granting him a security certificate.
“This matter requires a very precise explanation. We see how many questions are towards the candidate of Nawrocki, how many doubts are. I personally think that PiS voters do not deserve such a candidate. They vote only through loyalty, not by conviction and not by sympathy,” he said. “The fact that Poland does not deserve, we are sure, but also as I look at many decent, very decent people who vote for PiS in their best belief, they must be very disappointed that the president of this party put them such a candidate, because they simply do not deserve such a candidate” – he added.
From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)
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