US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently lauded Poland for boosting its military spending to 5% of its GDP, calling the country a “model ally.” However, when asked about the future of US troops in Eastern Europe as part of potential peace talks over Ukraine, he offered no clear answer.
He acknowledged that President Trump understood the importance of maintaining an American presence in Europe to deter Russian aggression, but said long-term decisions would come up during future discussions on Ukraine’s peace.
Hegseth emphasized that NATO members in Europe need to strengthen their own defenses, warning that relying on the US forever isn’t realistic. His visit to Warsaw also included talks with Polish President Andrzej Duda, who raised the possibility of a permanent US military base in Poland—something once dubbed “Fort Trump.” While Poland hosts around 8,000 US troops and is home to the first permanent US base in 2023, no confirmation came from the US side regarding a new base.
Poland, along with neighboring Baltic states, Romania, and Czechia, fears that a US troop withdrawal could leave them vulnerable to Russian influence. Still, Hegseth praised Poland for its commitment to defense, noting its NATO-leading defense spending of 4.7% of its GDP.
Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged European unity in pushing for peace talks and called for a united front with the US and Ukraine. However, there’s little interest from either the US or Russia in involving Europe in the peace negotiations. The EU’s likely role would come only after a ceasefire, with France’s Macron the only leader so far to entertain the idea of European peacekeeping forces.
