Poland offers annual subsidy and prepares bill for permanent US base

Legislative framework and proposed scale

The Polish government has initiated work on dedicated legislation to accelerate the construction of a permanent United States military installation. Deputy Minister of National Defence Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka announced that the proposed complex is designed to house approximately 5,000 American troops alongside their families. The project scale requires coordinated multi-departmental responsibilities to establish residential, logistical, technical, and transport infrastructure.

“We need to prepare a special bill on faster construction of the base and defining the competencies of specific ministries, because building a base is really like building a small town.”

The legislative initiative follows Resolution 142 adopted by the Council of Ministers on 16 June 2026, which formally authorized ministerial preparations. According to estimates from the National Security Bureau (BBN), optimal legislative and intergovernmental progress could allow the base to open in 2029, a year ahead of earlier projections targeting 2030.

Financial terms and cost projections

Warsaw has proposed substantial financial commitments to support the American military presence. Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Zalewski stated in Washington that Poland offered to cover base infrastructure construction and contribute 15,000 dollars annually for every American soldier stationed permanently on Polish soil. Polish taxpayers will directly finance these expenditures through the national defence budget.

“We offer very special conditions for American troops. We will cover the infrastructure costs. We will also cover the costs of each American soldier stationed in Poland by 15,000 dollars annually.”

Overall expenditure estimates prepared by the National Security Bureau project total investment costs between 11 billion and 17 billion zloty (approximately 4.4 billion dollars). Officials from the security bureau noted that distributing these allocations across several fiscal years keeps the project within the budgetary capacity of the Ministry of National Defence.

Low estimate11

High estimate17

Low estimate

11 billion PLN

High estimate

17 billion PLN

Data from the article text

Decision timeline and candidate sites

A formal commitment from Washington depends on an ongoing comprehensive review of US force posture across Europe ordered by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The review report is scheduled for delivery to Hegseth on 1 November 2026, before moving to President Donald Trump on 1 December 2026. Polish officials expect a definitive American decision shortly after Trump receives the document.

“Today, everything indicates that the Americans will not make a decision until the end of the so-called strategic review ordered by Pete Hegseth.”

Bilateral consultations continue regarding two candidate locations in western Poland, chosen for their relative security, proximity to international transport airports, and access to large metropolitan healthcare and education networks. Potential sites discussed include areas near Poznań (including the Krzesiny military airfield), Wrocław, and Szczecin within the Wielkopolska and Lower Silesia provinces.

Political dialogue and regional context

The base project, unofficially referred to as Fort Trump by Polish President Karol Nawrocki, follows declarations by Trump on 17 September 2026 regarding significant progress in bilateral talks. Although a scheduled meeting between Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Hegseth was postponed on 23 September 2026 at Washington's request, technical discussions continue between Pentagon planners and Polish delegations. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski cautioned against political titling for military installations while negotiations proceed. Meanwhile, Poland has offered its secure territory for potential joint defense manufacturing, including missile servicing systems, as broader European security arrangements take shape.