US Department of War opens door to permanent military base in Poland, prime minister calls response ‘faster than expected’

Poland’s formal offer gets a swift green light

On 29 May 2026 Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz sent a formal letter to the Pentagon formally declaring Poland’s readiness to host a permanent American military base. Less than three weeks later, on 18 June, he received a written reply from US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.

It is my pleasure to inform that the war secretary and his entire team, the United States, react positively to Poland’s proposal for a permanent American military base on the territory of our homeland.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking in Brussels the same day, admitted the speed of the reply caught him off guard. “I am an optimist, but I did not expect such a quick and positive reaction to our decisions on the urgent preparation of Poland to organise a permanent base,” he told journalists.

A conditional yes from Washington

Hegseth’s reply stopped short of a final commitment. In a fragment read by Kosiniak-Kamysz, the Department of War stated that it “is open to Poland’s offer for the permanent stationing of US forces on its territory, however the final decision will depend on the details of such an agreement.” Tusk echoed that caution, noting that the secretary “honestly says that further details and arrangements are still needed.” Both Polish leaders nonetheless stressed that the country is “on a very good path” toward securing a permanent American footprint.

The national defence strategy of the United States clearly indicates that the Department of War will prioritise engagement with model allies, such as Poland, who are doing their part in allied defence.

Warsaw’s position as a model ally

Kosiniak-Kamysz underlined that during the open portion of the NATO defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels Hegseth pointedly referred to model allies and explicitly noted that Poland now spends 5 percent of GDP on defence, backs NATO 3.0, is engaged in the eastern flank and is building the EU‑NATO eastern border barrier known as Tarcza Wschód. “Here we are all playing together – the president, the government and all Poles. This is a matter of raison d’état,” he added.

What happens next

Negotiations over a specific Status of Forces Agreement and the technical details of the installation will begin immediately. Kosiniak-Kamysz said the Council of Ministers authorised him earlier this week to coordinate the Polish side of the talks, which he described as “a multi‑month process of discussions, negotiations and agreements” followed by a “multi‑year, multi‑billion złoty investment.” He declined to publicly favour any single site among the two to three locations now being discreetly evaluated, stressing that “every location in Poland for a permanent base is very good.”

This would radically change the sense of security.

Broader diplomatic calendar

President Karol Nawrocki already discussed a permanent American troop presence with President Donald Trump on 3 September 2025. Kosiniak-Kamysz welcomed Trump’s “clear and distinct allied signal” regarding 5 000 soldiers, adding that existing American detachments operate from Poznań and Wrocław. The next formal opportunity to advance the dossier will be the NATO summit in Ankara scheduled for 7–8 July 2026.