US expected to send additional troops to Poland as talks on permanent base continue

Additional US troops are expected to arrive in Poland within the next three months as Warsaw and Washington hold talks on expanding the US military presence, including the possible establishment of a permanent US base, according to a report by Polish daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (DGP) published on Monday.

Citing sources close to the negotiations, the newspaper said Polish officials are discussing two separate issues with the US administration: reinforcing the rotational deployment of American forces and creating a permanent military base in Poland. A decision on the latter is expected within six months to a year, the report said.

The report follows a visit to the Pentagon by Bartosz Grodecki, the head of Poland's National Security Bureau (BBN). Speaking to DGP, Grodecki said senior US officials had repeatedly described Poland as a "model ally," including during meetings with Elbridge Colby, the US undersecretary of defense for policy.

"We heard many times that Poland is a model ally," Grodecki told the newspaper, adding that the discussions suggested "very promising years" ahead for US-Polish defense cooperation.

Around 10,000 US troops are currently stationed in Poland under a combination of rotational deployments and permanent command structures, making the country one of Washington's largest military hubs on NATO's eastern flank.

Warsaw has for several years sought a larger permanent US military presence, arguing it would strengthen deterrence against Russia as the Russia-Ukraine war continues in its fifth year and reinforce NATO's eastern defenses. The proposal gained renewed momentum after the alliance expanded its military posture in Eastern Europe in response to the war.

The report comes ahead of this week's NATO summit, where allied leaders are expected to focus on strengthening deterrence, increasing defense spending, and maintaining support for Ukraine.