The U.S. military will move personnel and equipment away from a key transit hub for Ukrainian aid in southeastern Poland, redeploying them in other parts of the country.
Officials said the work of providing military support for Kyiv via the airport at Jasionka near Rzeszów would be continued by Poland and other NATO countries, while still being “supported by a streamlined U.S. military footprint.”
In its announcement on Monday, the U.S. said that the decision, taken in coordination with Warsaw and NATO, formed part of a “broader strategy to optimize U.S. military operations, improving the level of support to Allies and partners while also enhancing efficiencies.”
It emerged late last year that NATO had taken greater control over the coordination of Ukraine support operations, including in Jasionka, which is the main transit hub for deliveries to war-torn Ukraine.
Last month, the flow of American aid passing through the airport stuttered to a halt following the disastrous meeting in the White House between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Supplies were restored around two weeks later.
Announcing the redeployment of troops, the U.S. military noted that Jasionka was not a permanent base, having been established in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
During that time, the ‘U.S. Army Garrison Poland’ has been established with significant investment from both Warsaw and Washington, the statement added.
The commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe and Africa, General Christopher Donahue, added that Poland was a “great host” and that after a three-year presence in Jasionka the time had come to “right-size our footprint and save American taxpayers tens of millions of dollars per year.”
In its announcement on Monday, the U.S. said that the decision, taken in coordination with Warsaw and NATO, formed part of a “broader strategy to optimize U.S. military operations, improving the level of support to Allies and partners while also enhancing efficiencies.”
It emerged late last year that NATO had taken greater control over the coordination of Ukraine support operations, including in Jasionka, which is the main transit hub for deliveries to war-torn Ukraine.
Last month, the flow of American aid passing through the airport stuttered to a halt following the disastrous meeting in the White House between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Supplies were restored around two weeks later.
Announcing the redeployment of troops, the U.S. military noted that Jasionka was not a permanent base, having been established in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
During that time, the ‘U.S. Army Garrison Poland’ has been established with significant investment from both Warsaw and Washington, the statement added.
The commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe and Africa, General Christopher Donahue, added that Poland was a “great host” and that after a three-year presence in Jasionka the time had come to “right-size our footprint and save American taxpayers tens of millions of dollars per year.”
