Warsaw Agrees to Pay for Stationing US Troops in Poland

Warsaw has agreed to share the cost of stationing US troops on its soil.

The amount and percentage is now known but it is expected to be over 50%, in line with what has been demanded by the Trump administration.

The Polish acceptance comes at a time when South Korea and Germany have refused to accept US demands to share the cost of stationing US troops. But Poland, which already meets the NATO-mandated goal of spending 2 percent of GDP on national defense by 2024, has agreed to take more US forces, aircraft and drones while footing what is likely to be a hefty bill to build infrastructure for those forces as they flow in and out of the country on a rotational basis.

Lt. Col. Thomas Campbell, a Pentagon spokesperson said that Warsaw “has agreed to fund infrastructure and logistical support to U.S. forces in Poland, including the current 4,500 rotational forces and the planned increase of 1,000 additional rotational forces.”

Poland has agreed to fully fund infrastructure for: 

A command post of the Army’s V Corps headquarters

A US division headquarters in Poland

A joint-use Combat Training Center in Drawsko Pomorskie, among other training locations

Facilities for an Air Force MQ-9 drone squadron

An aerial port of debarkation to support the movement of forces in and out of the country

Facilities to support special operations forces so they can conduct air, ground and maritime operations

Infrastructure for an armored brigade combat team, a combat aviation brigade, and a combat sustainment support battalion.

Mark Esper, United States Secretary of Defense said the new deal “will enhance deterrence against Russia, strengthen NATO, and reassure our Allies and our forward presence in Poland on NATO’s eastern flank will improve our strategic and operational flexibility.”