Trump reaffirms stronger US presence in Poland, says Duda
Poland's President Andrzej Duda said after a meeting with his US counterpart that Donald Trump has confirmed that the US will rather boost its army presence in Poland.
Duda and Trump met on the sidelines of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), near Washington, on Saturday evening.
"There is no fear that the US presence in Poland will decrease; Donald Trump said he would rather expect a boost of U.S. presence concerning Poland," Duda told reporters after the meeting.
Duda added that he had the same impression after a meeting in Warsaw with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
He also said that during his talk with Trump, he tried to convince the US president of the importance of the NATO eastern flank and that he had told Hegseth that Poland should implement a project known as 'Fort Trump.'
In 2018, Poland revealed plans to establish a 'Fort Trump' project, a new military base intended for the permanent stationing of US troops in Poland but this initiative has not been realised.
Duda said he had been told by Trump that he was aware of the project. "I was also told that I should not be worried as "Poland is one of the most credible allies," with a view to both military and economic ties.
Referring to the war in Ukraine, Duda said that the US president "wants people not to be killed any longer." Trump added that this war must not continue and that a meeting with (Russian President Vladimir - PAP) Putin is the only way to end it, Duda added.
When Trump asked me who can hold talks with Putin today "I only said that Poland's and Central Europe's security should be boosted."
"Backstage at CPAC, President Trump met with President Andrzej Duda of Poland and reaffirmed our close alliance. President Trump also praised President Andrzej Duda for Poland’s commitment to increase their defence spending," the White House wrote on the X platform.
After his face-to-face with Duda, Trump is meeting on Monday at the White House with French President Emmanuel Macron and on Thursday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. (PAP)
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