Trump tells Polish President Nawrocki he'll send more US troops to Poland
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U.S. President Donald Trump proposed sending additional American troops to Poland during a Sept. 3 meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki in the Oval Office, Euractiv reported.
Nawrocki, a consistent supporter of Trump, made his first official visit to Washington since assuming office. He had earlier traveled to the U.S. during his campaign to secure Trump's endorsement.
"We will put more there if they want," Trump said in the Oval Office. "We are with Poland all the way, and we will help Poland protect itself."
Nawrocki emphasized Poland's goal to boost military spending within NATO and highlighted that, for "the first time in history," Warsaw is welcoming foreign troops, expressing strong appreciation for the American military presence.
Nawrocki, a conservative backed by the opposition Law and Justice party, narrowly won Poland's presidential election on June 1 with 50.89% of the vote, defeating Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's ruling coalition.
A historian-turned-politician, Nawrocki's ascent to the presidential office signals growing challenges for Polish-Ukrainian relations. While the new head of state affirmed support for Ukraine's struggle against Russian aggression, he also spoke out against Kyiv's EU and NATO aspirations, often drawing attention to past historical grievances.
The conservatives' victory also maintains the ideological divide between the Polish Presidential Office and Tusk's centrist government.
Previously, Nawrocki vetoed a bill that would have extended financial support for Ukrainians fleeing the war.
The Polish president also proposed amendments that would extend the period needed for acquiring Polish citizenship, introduce harsher penalties for illegal border crossings, and equating the "Bandera symbols" with Nazi and Communist symbols in Poland's criminal code.
