Potential US Base In Poland Not Discussed At NATO - Alliance

Potential US Base in Poland Not Discussed at NATO - Alliance

The plan to establish a US military base in Poland has not been discussed in NATO, and the issue is up for a bilateral discussion, an alliance representative told Sputnik Thursday.

BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2018) The plan to establish a US military base in Poland has not been discussed in NATO, and the issue is up for a bilateral discussion, an alliance representative told Sputnik Thursday.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday in a meeting with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda that the United States was "considering" the establishment of such a base.

"We welcome the strong commitment of the United States to European security. This specific proposal has not been discussed at NATO. NATO already has a strong presence in Poland. This includes a multinational battlegroup led by the US, to deter any possible aggression. The US already deploys forces to a number of Allies, including Poland, on a bilateral basis. So it is for Poland and the US to look into the details of any further deployment," a NATO representative said.

On Wednesday, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Tomasz Szatkowski said a new base would help promote "the sense of security" in Poland and change "the geopolitical landscape of Europe."

In May, the Polish Defense Ministry published a document stating that Poland was ready to pay $1.5-$2 billion for the establishment of a US military base that would host a permanent armored division in the country.

In mid-June, Russia's Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said that the possible deployment of a US armored division to Poland would violate the 1997 Russia-NATO Founding Act.