Polish PM: America won't find better ally anywhere

On May 18, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that transatlantic unity must withstand the current “difficult period”, stressing the importance of Warsaw’s ties with Washington after the Pentagon cancelled plans to deploy 4,000 U.S.-based troops to Poland.

Poland has long viewed its relationship with the United States as the cornerstone of its security amid what it describes as an increasingly assertive Russia, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

The government has sought to reassure the public that the cancelled deployment does not signal a weakening of the alliance.

“The task of all of us here in Poland, in Europe, across the Atlantic, in the U.S., in Canada, is to ensure that transatlantic cooperation, regardless of various political variables, survives this difficult period,” Tusk told a news conference.

Poland has repeatedly highlighted its position as a model NATO ally and remains the alliance’s largest defence spender relative to the size of its economy. Warsaw plans to allocate 4.8% of gross domestic product to defence in 2026.

Tusk spoke during the signing of an agreement with Honeywell to establish an engine service centre for Abrams tanks in Poland, describing the deal as an example of the value of the transatlantic alliance.

“You have a friend here ... you have the most loyal ally,” Tusk said, addressing the United States. “It's worth remembering this, because America won't find a better ally anywhere.”

Public confidence in the alliance with Washington has weakened since Donald Trump returned to power. An SW Research poll for the Rzeczpospolita daily in January found that 53% of Poles did not believe the United States was a reliable ally.

In April, Tusk told the Financial Times that Europe’s “biggest, most important question” was whether the United States was prepared to remain a loyal NATO partner in the event of a Russian attack.

Allies of Poland’s Trump-endorsed nationalist president, Karol Nawrocki, criticised those remarks, arguing that questioning Washington’s commitment to Poland’s security was dangerous.

In September, Trump said the United States could increase its troop presence in Poland.

By Aghakazim Guliyev