Poland Has Money for Permanent US Military Base – Prime Minister

WARSAW (Sputnik) - Poland has enough money to fund permanent US military presence on its soil, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki confirmed Tuesday, after the Polish president offered to pay billions for a base.

"As for money, the answer is simple: yes. We do have money for a possible payment this year and in the years to come if there is an increase in US military presence," Morawiecki told reporters.

US President Donald Trump, during a meeting with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda last week, said the United States was considering Warsaw’s request to set up a US base in Poland.

READ MORE: Pentagon Examining Area in Poland for New US Military Base — Mattis

Trump said Duda had offered to pay more than $2 billion toward the cost of the facility. The Polish president also suggested naming it "Fort Trump." The base would be an addition to US troops stationed in the Eastern European country as part of NATO.

In mid-June, Russia's Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said that the possible deployment of a US armored division to Poland would violate the 1997 Russia-NATO Founding Act.

In May, the Polish Defense Ministry published a document stating that Poland was ready to pay $1.5-$2 billion for the establishment of a US military base that would host a permanent armored division in the country.