Most Polish politicians agree that US soldiers are needed and that they constitute a kind of insurance against Russian aggression. However, this is not a free policy.
According to estimates by Business Insider Polska, maintaining – or rather subsidizing – American soldiers costs the Polish taxpayer approximately half a billion zlotys per year.
Where did we get these numbers? The press office of the Ministry of National Defense told us that there are approximately 8.5-9 thousand American soldiers in Poland. The Minister of Defense himself said that the Polish side partly maintains them. “We allocate approximately $15,000 per year to one American soldier,” said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz last year. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, talked about the same amount.
This is what distinguishes us from the Germans
Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that this distinguishes us from, for example, the Germans, who are reluctant to contribute to the costs of maintaining US soldiers.
Are these all the costs we incur due to the presence of US troops? When talking about maintaining soldiers, the Minister of Defense probably meant only current expenses, and there are also the funds we spend on the development of military infrastructure used by American soldiers. The Defence24 portal estimated that in 2026 it could be as much as PLN 2 billion. This amount includes, among others: barracks, canteens, helicopter stands and fuel warehouses.
Polish politicians have tried to argue many times that stationing troops in Poland is simply financially beneficial for the US. Minister Sikorski said, for example, in “Foreign Affairs” that we have good training grounds and that training soldiers in Poland is simply cheaper than in the USA. “I think we gave Donald Trump a good deal.” – said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This can all be very important if Donald Trump will maintain a confrontational tone towards NATO. The US president indicated that he was angry at the allies who did not help him in the operation in Iran. But – what is important – in this context he did not talk about Poland, even though our troops were not involved in this conflict on a large scale.
Where are US troops stationed in Poland
There are over ten bases where US troops are currently stationed. The base in Redzikowo near Słupsk is crucial – it is part of the so-called missile shield, which is intended to protect the United States and NATO countries against ballistic missile attacks from the air.
Americans are also, among others, in Poznań, Powidz or Bolesławiec. And also in Balice near Krakow. There, near the airport, a base for American special forces soldiers was opened in 2024.
See also: “We have to behave like Russians.” This is how the US is preparing for war with the Kremlin
Donald Trump threatens NATO
Meanwhile, the US administration is considering punishing some members of the NATO alliance who, in its opinion, were not helpful during the war with Iran, reported The Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper claims that Washington is particularly dissatisfied with Spain and Germany, but also with France and even Italy. Theoretically, Poland, but also e.g. Romania, can benefit from the transfer of troops. Both countries have relatively good relations with the US and they have not been seriously damaged during the war in Iran.
Look: Donald Trump is putting pressure on allies. Unofficially: I'll give them a few days
However, “WSJ” notes that a possible relocation would mean bringing American troops closer to the border with Russia, which the Kremlin would certainly not like.
Author: Mateusz Madejski, journalist of Business Insider Polska
