US opens missile defense base in Poland

The United States has opened a new missile defense base in northern Poland, in the city of Redzikowo, near the Baltic coast. Polish President Andrzej Duda said that this event emphasizes the country's security as a NATO member, despite its proximity to the war zone in Ukraine.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to Reuters.

“The United States is the guarantor of Poland's security,” Duda said, adding that the permanent presence of American troops at the base emphasizes that Poland ‘is not in Russia's sphere of influence,’ despite its communist past until 1989.

The opening of the base came amid concerns among some NATO members caused by Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election. His statements that he will not defend countries that do not invest enough in defense have sparked debate within the alliance.

However, Poland, one of the largest contributors to defense relative to the size of its economy, sees no reason to be concerned. President Duda emphasizes his good relations with Trump and Poland's commitment to strengthening the alliance.

The Redzikowo base is part of NATO's larger missile shield, Aegis Ashore, designed to intercept short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Other elements of the shield include a base in Romania, US destroyers in the Spanish port of Rota, and radar in Turkey.

The Kremlin called the opening of the base an attempt to deter Russia and a “threat” to its security back in 2007, at the planning stage of the project. NATO, for its part, insists that the shield is purely defensive.

Author - Dmitriy Levchenko, 14/11/2024