During a visit to Washington on Wednesday, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz met with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to discuss the Polish-U.S. strategic partnership.
“Poland, similarly to the U.S., is fully committed to continuing support for our eastern neighbor and ensuring that Ukraine wins this war,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
“No single country can face this threat alone and we truly appreciate the U.S.’s firm commitment to defending NATO allies,” he added.
He pointed out that Poland “fulfills NATO’s obligation well beyond the requirements,” spending over 4% of its GDP on defense this year and planning to increase that to around 4.7% by 2025.
“We have to be ready to defend our territory and NATO's eastern flank,” the defense minister said.
Furthermore, Austin said: “Poland has always understood that Putin’s war of choice in Ukraine threatens our shared security.”
“Poland has shown exceptional leadership on Ukraine, including providing vital logistic support and substantial security assistance that has helped Ukraine defend itself against the Kremlin's assault,” he added.
The Polish minister’s visit to the Pentagon comes a day after U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin rolled out its first F-35 fighter jet made for the Polish military, in Fort Worth, Texas.
Poland’s military ties with the U.S. have been further strengthened by purchases such as Abrams tanks, the Patriot Missile Defense System, and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
