Poland May Be Threat to Russia Only if It Provides Its Territory for NATO Military, Kremlin Says

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has recently reported that Washington was considering pulling some 9,500 US troops from Germany, where about 35,000 of them are currently stationed. The move blindsided US allies in Europe, as Trump did not consult them on the issue.

Poland may pose a threat to Russia only if it provides its territory for NATO military infrastructure, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a statement.

Peskov continued on by saying that Moscow has repeatedly noted the undesirability of NATO military infrastructure’s drift towards Russia’s borders, saying that "this provokes a response".

The statement comes after US President Donald Trump on 15 June announced the latest redeployment of forces, which, when implemented, will reduce the US troop strength in Germany from 35,000 to around 24,000.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has commented on the matter, saying that if US troops move from Germany to Poland, it would complicate the relations between NATO and Russia. The spokeswoman suggested that should the US remove troops from Germany, it might want to take with its non-strategic nuclear weapons as well.

Over the past few years, NATO has increased its military presence near Russia’s borders, while Moscow has repeatedly warned that this could spark a conflict, destabilise the region, and lead to a global arms race.