WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump affirmed that the United States will keep a robust military presence in Poland as he had a warm meeting Wednesday with the country's new president, Karol Nawrocki.
Trump had taken the unusual step of in the Polish elections earlier this year, and as the leaders sat side by side in the White House, Trump said the U.S.-Polish relationship has always been strong but "now it’s better than ever.â€
When asked by a reporter whether the U.S. planned to continue placing troops in Poland, Trump said the U.S. would.
“We'll put more there if they want,†Trump added.
The visit to Washington is Nawrocki's first overseas trip last month. The , who was backed by the conservative Law and Justice party, was hoping to deepen his relationship with Trump at a fraught moment for Warsaw as its neighbors Russia and Ukraine remain embroiled in a war sparked by Moscow's invasion 3 1/2 years ago.
Nawrocki thanked Trump for his support and, in a nod to the bonds between their countries, gave a particular hello to the millions of Polish Americans in the U.S.
“Those relations for me, for Poland, for Poles, are very important,†Nawrocki said.
He added that those bonds are based on shared values of independence and democracy.
In a news conference after his meeting, Nawrocki said he and Trump discussed expanding the U.S. military presence in Poland. He said he considered it “a major success†that Trump provided a guarantee of Poland’s security.
There has been heightened anxiety in and across Europe, about Trump’s long-term commitment to a strong U.S. force posture on the continent — an essential deterrent to Russia. Russia and its ally Belarus are set to hold in Belarus, unnerving Poland as well as fellow NATO members Latvia and Lithuania.
Trump has grown increasingly frustrated by his inability to get Russian President and Ukrainian President to sit down for direct talks aimed at ending the .
Trump last month and then with Zelenskyy and several European leaders at the White House. The Republican president emerged from those engagements confident that he would be able to quickly between Putin and Zelenskyy and perhaps three-way talks in which he would participate.
But his optimism in hatching an agreement to end the war has as Putin has yet to signal an interest in sitting down with Zelenskyy.
Nawrocki has echoed some of Trump’s language on Ukraine. While promising to continue Poland's support for Ukraine, Nawrocki has been critical of Zelenskyy, accusing him of taking advantage of allies. Nawrocki has also accused Ukrainian refugees of taking advantage of Polish generosity and for social services such as health care and schooling.
Still, Nawrocki said in the news conference Wednesday that he spoke to Trump clearly about his distrust of Putin and the threat from Russia.
“Regardless of the differences that exist within the European Union, regardless of the differences that exist in Poland between me and the Polish government, I guarantee that on security matters, including at this closed meeting, I spoke unequivocally about how I perceive Vladimir Putin and the threat he poses to the free world,†Nawrocki said.
Some key advisers in Trump's administration have advocated for shifting U.S. troops and military from Europe to the Indo-Pacific with China's lock as the United States' most significant strategic and economic competitor. Currently, there are about 8,200 American troops stationed in Poland, but the force level regularly fluctuates, according to the Pentagon.
When Nawrocki arrived at the White House, Trump gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder and stood with him as they watched U.S. military jets soaring over the South Lawn.
A group of F-16s flew in a missing man formation as a tribute to a Polish Air Force F-16 pilot, Maj. Maciej “Slab†Krakowian, who died in a crash in Poland on Aug. 28.
“Thank you for this gesture,†Nawrocki later told Trump.
Trump made clear before Poland’s election this spring he wanted Nawrocki to win, dangling the prospect of closer military ties if the Poles elected Nawrocki. Trump even hosted him at the White House before the vote.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also traveled to Poland shortly before its May election to tell Poles if they elected Nawrocki and other conservatives they would have , who would "ensure that you will be able to fight off enemies that do not share your values.â€
Ultimately, Polish voters went with Nawrocki in a tight election over liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski.
Most of the power in Poland’s parliamentary system rests with an elected parliament and a government chosen by the parliament. The president can veto legislation and represents the country abroad. Nawrocki has tense relations with the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, an ally of Trzaskowski.
At the White House, Trump said he was proud to endorse Nawrocki and lauded him for winning his election.
“It was a pretty tough race, pretty nasty race, and he beat them all. And he beat them all very easily, and now he’s become even more popular as they got to know him and know him better,†Trump said.
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Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.
