US and Poland advance talks on permanent military base as Pentagon prepares force review

Progress on permanent base negotiations

Polish and American officials are concluding consultations on transitioning the US military footprint in Poland from a rotational deployment to a permanent stationing of Land Forces. United States President Donald Trump stated on 17 September 2026 that significant progress had occurred on the project. Polish Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk confirmed on 4 October 2026 that bilateral discussions have progressed to technical execution. The Polish government has already passed a formal resolution declaring its financial readiness to cover the necessary hosting costs. Poland already hosts an operational American missile defence installation in Redzikowo, which opened in 2024, but is now pursuing a dedicated base for ground combat units.

Speaking on TVN24, Tomczyk described the current status of bilateral talks with Washington.

I certainly cannot say this today with 100 percent certainty, but I would say that we are close to a final decision.

Site selection and European posture review

American military assessment teams visited Poland in September 2026 to evaluate potential installation locations. Cezary Tomczyk identified Wielkopolskie and Dolnośląskie as the two leading candidate voivodeships, citing years of Polish state capital investments worth billions of zlotys in existing defense infrastructure across both regions. A formal announcement depends on the Pentagon force posture reviews, which are scheduled for release in November 2026. Polish government sources indicate that the earliest date for an official US announcement is 1 December 2026, though the formal decision could take several additional weeks.

Political coordination in Washington

Presidential aide Marcin Przydacz visited Washington in early October 2026 for meetings with Deputy National Security Advisor Michael Needham and two senior deputies to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Przydacz stated that the White House granted a political green light for the project, tasking the Pentagon and the Polish Ministry of National Defence with technical implementation. Polish President Karol Nawrocki will also attend the G20 summit in Miami in December 2026 as an invited guest of Donald Trump. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski noted that Nawrocki's primary state task will be leveraging his relationship with the US administration to secure the base commitment.

Przydacz stressed that the project will be fully consolidated once an official opening ceremony takes place in Poland.

Only then will we be 100 percent sure that the base has been launched. At this stage, there is a political decision that needs to be implemented.

Warsaw security talks and Bergen Group format

Alongside bilateral base talks, the Pentagon is preparing an informal working group meeting in Warsaw in October 2026 focused on the future structure of NATO. Initiated by US Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, the Bergen Group format includes Poland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, and the United States, with Denmark potentially joining the discussions. Pentagon organizers did not invite France, the United Kingdom, or the Baltic states to the gathering. Law and Justice MEP Adam Bielan stated on Polsat News that such working formats are common within the alliance as member states coordinate responses to Russian actions.

Bielan addressed the reported Warsaw meeting during an appearance on Polsat News.

I think this is very probable. The media are reporting it, so I think this leak was not accidental.