US to send 5,000 additional troops to Poland – Trump
Key takeaways
- Trump's announcement comes just two days after the Pentagon said that it was reducing the number of US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) in Europe from four to three.
- Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz had previously denied that the reduction of US troops in Europe would affect Poland, saying: "The number of American soldiers in Poland is not being reduced."
- His deputy, Cezary Tomczyk, also said that any repositioning or redeployment of US troops would affect Germany, not Poland, adding: "Poland is continuously working on strengthening the American troop presence."
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
In comments which appear to contradict recent Pentagon announcements, US President Donald Trump says 5,000 additional American troops are to be deployed to NATO ally Poland.
https://p.dw.com/p/5E9a3This comes amid Pentagon statements saying it's scaling back its deployments to Europe [FILE: Jan 30, 2017]Image: Natalia Dobryszycka/AFPAdvertisement The United States is set to deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday, saying the decision was based on his relationship with nationalist Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
"Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.