The U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command announced on April 8 that American personnel and equipment will be relocated from Poland's Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, a key logistics hub for delivering military aid to Ukraine.
"The important work of facilitating military aid to Ukraine via Jasionka will continue under Polish and NATO leadership, supported by a streamlined U.S. military footprint," the command said in a statement.
The redeployment, which will move assets to other locations in Poland, follows months of planning and is part of a broader strategy to optimize U.S. military operations across the region.
"Poland is a great host," said Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa. "After three years at Jasionka this is an opportunity to right-size our footprint and save American taxpayers tens of millions of dollars per year."
Polish President Andrzej Duda responded to the announcement by assuring that the move does not signify a U.S. troop withdrawal.
"I don't know if this is being implemented at this point. The very issue of taking responsibility for the security issues of the Rzeszow airport, its security, I know," Duda said during a press conference in Tallinn.
The U.S. military has operated in Jasionka, near Rzeszow, since early 2022. The airport quickly became one of the most important logistical points for coordinating Western support to Ukraine, protected by American Patriot air defense systems.
Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport is located less than 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the Ukrainian border and transports a significant percentage of Western materiel bound for the front lines. It is also a main stopover point for foreign leadership traveling to Kyiv on official visits.
In March 2023, Warsaw detained at least 16 members of a Russian spy ring tasked with gathering information on the number of transports to Ukraine in the region surrounding the airport, the level of security measures in place, and the type of equipment.
The redeployment comes amid growing concerns in Europe over a potential drawdown of U.S. forces. NBC News reported on April 8 that senior Defense Department officials are weighing a plan to withdraw up to 10,000 U.S. troops from Eastern Europe.
U.S. President Donald Trump's "America First" doctrine and recent statements from U.S. officials have raised alarm among NATO allies about Washington's long-term commitment to European defense.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
