Jo Harper
25 February 2025•Update: 25 February 2025
WARSAW
Poland would “willingly” take on Germany’s role in Europe if Berlin, under chancellor hopeful Friedrich Merz, pivots away from the US, Polish President Andrzej Duda said in an interview with Poland’s Polsat News on Monday.
"If Germany does not want US troops, does not want partnership with the US, we will very willingly accept partnership with the US. As the president of the Republic of Poland, I can say with full responsibility: I am interested in transferring all the cooperation that Germany has with the US to Poland. Very willingly," said Duda.
The remarks came on the heels of Merz, whose CDU/CSU bloc came first in Sunday’s German general elections, suggesting a realignment of Europe’s security framework to address the US’ reluctance under Trump to remain a fully engaged partner. Merz also expressed doubts as to whether NATO would still be in its current form by the time of the NATO summit this June.
But Duda said: "NATO without the US? … Anything is possible, but what’s the point? If there is a security alliance without the US, then in fact, in my opinion, its guarantees without the world's strongest power will be simply illusory.”
Asked about the idea of creating a joint army within the EU, Duda said that for him "a credible ally is above all the US, which has repeatedly shown over the last hundred years that when they return to the game, they are able to interrupt any armed conflict, to end it."
"We observed this during World War I, we observed this during World War II, right here in Europe. When the US army came, it was able to tip the scales in favor of the side it was fighting on, and as a result, it won. And above all, most importantly, which we all remember ... the US actually won the Cold War for Europe and for the world. Thanks to the effective policies of President Ronald Reagan," he added.
About 10,000 US troops are stationed in Poland, primarily as a rotational presence. The total number of US military personnel in Germany has risen in recent years, from 39,000 in 2019 to over 50,000 in 2024.
The US has deployed more troops to Europe since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with some deployed to bases in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria.
