US, Poland reaffirm close partnership

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosted Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and National Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on Tuesday at the Pentagon.

"The relationship between the United States and Poland is rock solid. Both countries demonstrate peace through strength," Hegseth said, adding the partnership is "as strong today as it's ever been."

Hegseth said President Donald Trump appreciates Poland as a "model ally" for the US on the eastern flank of NATO.

"And we're going to be encouraging 5%. We don't have to encourage Poland, you are almost there already leading the way on investment in Europe's largest land army, modernizing that force, and the defense industrial base, which is critically important, not just obviously here in the United States, but in Europe as well," he added.

Trump has long complained that other members have "ripped off" the US and called for NATO allies to step up their defense expenditures to 5%.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Monday that he assumes members will agree to a broad defense spending target of 5% of GDP during a summit at The Hague next month.

Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland wants to leverage the partnership to the next level and continue strengthening economic and military ties.

Turning to NATO's defense spending, he said Poland is "proud to set an example."

"We are a NATO leader in defense spending, reaching nearly 5% of GDP. We have invested a lot in American-made weapons systems by signing 128 contracts for over $60 billion," he added.