The United States is set to inaugurate a new air defense base in northern Poland on Wednesday, as the Polish government aims to assure citizens of NATO’s commitment to their security, especially following Donald Trump’s recent presidential victory.
Located in Redzikowo, near Poland’s Baltic coast, this long-planned base is seen as a testament to the enduring military alliance between Poland and the US, regardless of political changes in Washington. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski emphasized the project’s significance in a video posted on X, saying, “This construction proves the geostrategic resolve of the United States.”
Polish President Andrzej Duda, who has underscored his close ties with Trump, is expected to attend the opening ceremony. The Kremlin has labeled the new base as an attempt to “contain Russia” by expanding American military presence near its borders. Trump’s critical remarks on NATO, including his statement that the US might withhold defense from allies not meeting defense spending requirements, have created unease within the alliance. However, Poland, as one of NATO’s top defense spenders, is confident in its security guarantees.
The Redzikowo base forms part of NATO’s broader missile defense system known as “Aegis Ashore,” which aims to intercept short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Other elements of this defense network include a second site in Romania, US Navy destroyers stationed in Spain’s Rota port, and an early-warning radar in Kurecik, Turkey. NATO insists that this missile shield is purely defensive.
Although Moscow expressed concerns about the base as early as 2007, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz noted on Monday that Poland would discuss with NATO and the US expanding the shield’s scope. According to NATO sources, the current radar setup in Poland is configured for missile threats from the Middle East, and reconfiguring it to monitor Russia would require policy adjustments
Later Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is scheduled to meet with President Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw to discuss the expanded defense capabilities and ongoing security cooperation.
