18-02-2025
Poland's president says US not planning to reduce its European troops
Following a meeting with US Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg in Warsaw on Tuesday, Polish President Andrzej Duda said he does not expect the United States to reduce its troop strength in Europe or withdraw all together.
"There is no indication that the US will withdraw from Europe," Duda said.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had even promised him very clearly last week that Poland could expect an increase in US troops sooner rather than later.
"There is absolutely no American intention of reducing its security activities in our part of Europe or the number of American troops," Duda said in reference to NATO's eastern flank and Poland.
US President Donald Trump's demand for higher defence spending by other NATO states and US Vice President J.D. Vance's frontal attack on European democracies at the Munich Security Conference have fuelled fears in Europe that the Americans could withdraw troops from the continent.
Last week Hegseth said, during a troop visit in Stuttgart, that there were no immediate plans to reduce troop levels in Europe, but he said "there is agreement that we will review the force posture worldwide."
According to the US European Command (Eucom), around 78,000 US soldiers are stationed in Europe, including around 37,000 in Germany. There are around 10,000 in Poland on a rotational basis.
Kellogg visited Poland on his way to Kiev, where he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Defence Minister Rustem Yumerov on Thursday.
