May 14, 2026, 08:18May 14, 2026, 1:10 p.m
The USA is withdrawing soldiers from Germany.Image: keystone
Poland has denied reports that the country is affected by the halt in sending a combat brigade of more than 4,000 US soldiers to Europe. “The number of American soldiers in Poland will not be reduced,” said Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz in Warsaw. Rather, his country is continuing to work on increasing US troop numbers.
The Defense Minister further said that the withdrawal of around 5,000 US soldiers from Germany announced by US President Donald Trump would result in a reorganization of American troops in Europe. This could lead to other brigades being sent to individual countries. This may explain the confusion caused by US media reports, said Kosiniak-Kamysz.
Poland’s Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk also countered the reports and referred to the neighboring country to the west. “That is not true. This communication concerns Germany. It does not concern Poland. “Poland is making continuous efforts to increase the American troop presence,” he wrote on X.
A spokeswoman for the German Ministry of Defense did not comment on the reports when asked. “We have commented extensively on the topic in the past few weeks,” she said. “There is nothing to add to that at the moment.”
US media reports on stopping deployment of combat brigade. Previously, the Wall Street Journal, citing a Pentagon official, reported that the US Department of Defense had stopped sending the combat brigade to Europe. The decision was communicated on Wednesday at a meeting between the European Command of the US Armed Forces (Eucom) and parts of the US Army. It was actually expected that the soldiers would be stationed in Poland for a nine-month deployment.
The US Army announced in March that the combat brigade would replace other forces as part of a regularly scheduled rotation. Some of the equipment and soldiers were already on the way, which is why some members of the army were surprised by the decision, writes the Wall Street Journal.
According to the “Task and Purpose” platform, which focuses on defense news, it was planned that the soldiers would work together with armed forces from partner countries, especially in Poland. According to the report, the operation was intended to support “Operation Atlantic Resolve”, which was launched by the USA in 2014 in response to the Russian annexation of the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea to support NATO partners.
Reports caused unrest among Poland’s government
The EU and NATO country Poland is one of Ukraine’s closest political and military allies. The reports in the US media about the stop in the deployment of combat brigades have obviously caused unrest in Warsaw. Defense Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz said that that night he and Poland’s chief of general staff contacted Eucom boss General Alexus Grynkewich to clarify the matter. Poland’s military attaché also held talks with the Pentagon.
Just two weeks ago, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the withdrawal of around 5,000 US soldiers from Germany. Poland then reaffirmed its willingness to accept more US soldiers. According to Polish President Karol Nawrocki, there are currently almost 10,000 US soldiers stationed in Poland. Most of them rotate regularly between different US military bases in Europe. (sda/dpa)