Poland's defence minister postpones Pentagon visit after 'urgent' US request
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz's planned Wednesday visit to the Pentagon has been rescheduled at Washington's urgent request over new Alliance security measures. Deputy ministers will still travel to Washington to continue talks.
A planned Wednesday visit by Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz to the United States, where he was due to meet Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, has been unexpectedly postponed. Poland's Ministry of Defence announced the change on social platform X.
The meeting had been set to cover key topics, including the permanent presence of American troops in Poland and the establishment of a maintenance centre on Polish soil for Patriot (PAC-3) air defence missile systems.
The ministry said the meeting was rescheduled at Washington's request, and that a new date is currently being arranged. According to the statement, signals from the American side and a recent meeting of NATO chiefs of staff have created an urgent need for new security measures across Alliance member states.
Deputy ministers still heading to Washington
While the minister's own visit has been delayed, Poland's deputy defence ministers, Magdalena Sobkowiak and Paweł Zalewski, will still travel to Washington. They are expected to hold talks with American counterparts and prepare further agreements on bilateral cooperation.
Background
On 3 June 2026, Kosiniak-Kamysz formally proposed that the Pentagon establish a new permanent US military base on Polish territory. On 17 September 2026, US President Donald Trump said there had been "significant progress" in negotiations over building such a base. Then on 21 September 2026, Polish Deputy Defence Minister Stanisław Wziątek announced that Poland plans to host a total of 15,000 American troops on its territory, combining the future base's garrison with rotational forces.
