According to a statement from the Polish Ministry of Defense (MON), the Polish side is actively working to ensure the presence of American forces on its territory, both economically and logistically. The legal basis for these actions is the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), signed in Warsaw on August 15, 2020.
One possible outcome of this cooperation could be the proposal made by General Christopher Todd Donahue, commander of the United States Army in Europe and Africa.
“General Christopher Todd Donahue has proposed the transfer of an Armoured Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) to Poland, along with its support equipment, under the Army Prepositioned Stock (APS) program of the US Army,” the Polish Ministry of Defense said in a statement to Euronews.
As highlighted by the ministry, this initiative has led to a series of meetings and working sessions, in line with the sharing of responsibilities outlined in the EDCA agreement.
“The proposal involves coordinating actions to identify appropriate sites and develop a bilateral action plan taking into account issues such as infrastructure requirements, timelines, resource allocation, legal framework, distribution of responsibilities, and operational design mechanisms,” the ministry clarified.
United States abandons deployment of four thousand soldiers in Poland
Despite previous statements by President Donald Trump, Washington has decided to abandon the project of deploying four thousand soldiers in Poland. This relocation decision was part of a broader strategy by the Pentagon to withdraw five thousand troops stationed in Germany.
This decision comes amidst growing tensions between Washington and Berlin, after Chancellor Frederic Merz criticized US-Israeli military operations in Iran, deeming them reckless. President Trump responded with a series of harsh messages, urging Merz to focus on “sorting out his own country.”
In Warsaw, there have been speculations for weeks about the possibility of some troops being relocated from Germany to Poland. Following the disclosure of this information, Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz sought to temper expectations, emphasizing that it is part of the announced adjustments to the US presence in Europe, which already reinforces NATO’s eastern flank with the increasing capabilities of the Polish army and the existing American forces in the country.
Who is General Christopher Donahue?
General Christopher Todd Donahue is a prominent figure in the US Army. Since 2024, he has been the Commander of the US Army in Europe and Africa and the head of NATO’s Land Forces Command. Previously, as commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, he oversaw security at Kabul airport during the evacuation of US and allied forces from Afghanistan in 2021, being the last American soldier to leave the Afghan capital.
In February 2022, immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Donahue arrived in Poland leading a preparatory group from the 82nd Airborne Division, landing at Jasionka airport near Rzeszów. He also participated in training and advising Ukrainian officers.
Later that month, he visited Warsaw, where he met with US Ambassador Tom Rose and the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army, General Wiesław Kukuła. During this meeting, Kukuła presented him with the medal of the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces “in recognition of his contribution to international security and the development of cooperation with the armed forces of the Republic of Poland.”
Discussions between the two generals focused on NATO’s eastern flank security, including the European Deterrence Line Initiative principles, as well as the role of deep strike capabilities and strengthening the American military presence in Poland.
