Kosiniak-Kamysz talked to Hegseth. American soldiers stay in Poland

We have confirmed the allied commitments between the United States and Poland, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on Wednesday after a conversation with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. According to the head of the Ministry of National Defense, the stable presence of American soldiers in Poland is confirmed.

In Kosiniak-Kamysz's opinion, confirming the presence of US troops gives Poland an advantage over “those countries that today are still wondering whether American soldiers will stay.”

– Why do they stay in Poland? Because Poland invests in armaments, because Poland has very good relations with the United States, because Poland is an important economic partner and we make gigantic purchases from our American allies. But Poland also shows that spending on armaments, all activities related to modernization and the transformation of the Polish armed forces, are at the highest level – said the head of the Ministry of National Defense.

According to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, at Wednesday's meeting in Brussels, more than half of the countries belonging to the North Atlantic Alliance declared their participation in PURL.

– There was no such notification today, but of course we are also working on this program – assured Kosiniak-Kamysz when asked whether Poland had registered to participate in the initiative.

– Some countries declare it, some countries have already implemented it. Poland also showed great support, especially in the first part of the conflict, when others were still wondering what to do, emphasized the head of the Ministry of National Defense.

He added that Poland is a logistics and infrastructure hub for Ukraine, which requires soldiers and officers every day.

– But of course, this initiative is a serious initiative – said the Deputy Prime Minister. – We will probably make our decisions on this matter in the near future – he added.

When asked whether US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth encouraged him to participate in the PURL initiative during the bilateral meeting, Kosiniak-Kamysz replied that the head of the Pentagon invited everyone.

– I think that all countries will participate in some way. This decision is still ahead of us, because Poland also has other activities that cannot take place outside Poland. There is probably a different view of our country here, due to its location and role in delivering equipment to Ukraine, argued Kosiniak-Kamysz. (PAP)

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