The assurance came as NATO strengthened measures along its eastern flank.

The United States has confirmed it will maintain its military presence in Poland, Poland’s defence minister Władyśław Kosiniak-Kamysz said after talks in Brussels with United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Around 10,000 US personnel are currently stationed in Poland, and US president Donald Trump has indicated those forces will remain and could be reinforced. Kosiniak-Kamysz linked the decision to Poland’s record defence spending, at 4.5% of GDP this year, and to close strategic ties with Washington.

The announcement coincided with the conclusion of a meeting of NATO defence ministers on 15 October, which focused on deterrence, counter-drone capabilities, defence investment and ongoing support for Ukraine. In response to recent Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace, the alliance has launched the Eastern Sentry mission, underscoring a sharper focus on the security of NATO’s eastern flank.

Allied air defence over Poland will also be bolstered by the United Kingdom. UK Defence Secretary John Healey said British jets will continue to fly missions over Poland until the end of the year, complementing the US presence and wider NATO measures to deter and detect aerial threats.

Poland used the Brussels gathering to deepen military cooperation with partners backing Kyiv. Warsaw signed a letter of intent with Ukraine for joint production of defence equipment, aimed at strengthening supply lines and sustainment. In a separate move, Kosiniak-Kamysz and defence ministers from Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden, Iceland and Finland agreed to establish a Nordic-Baltic training centre in Poland for Ukrainian soldiers, signalling a longer-term commitment to building Ukraine’s capabilities. Together, the steps point to a sustained allied posture in the region and a larger role for Poland as a hub for NATO operations and training.