Warsaw wants more US troops in Poland: defence minister

"We expect a more numerous presence of US troops in Poland," Błaszczak told correspondents after meeting General Herbert Raymond McMaster at the White House.

"We guarantee that this presence will be good for the security not only of Poland, but of... Central and Eastern Europe," Błaszczak added.

NATO announced in 2016 that it would deploy four multinational battalions to Poland and three Baltic countries, which fear potential Russian aggression following Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Błaszczak also said in Washington that talks on the purchase of a US Patriot anti-missile system by Poland were “on the right path.”

Błaszczak’s trip to Washington was his second official foreign visit as defence minister after his recent appointment to the post following a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle.

On Monday, Błaszczak held talks with NATO chiefs in Brussels.

(pk)

Source: PAP