A new Polish-American training center in northwestern Poland, that could house up to 2,500 soldiers, was officially opened on Thursday.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and the Secretary of the U.S. Army Daniel Driscoll attended the ceremony at the Głębokie Complex, in Drawsko Pomorskie.
The facility has been hosting soldiers from the 13th Cavalry Regiment from Dakota, U.S. since March and will use the training ground for nine months, the Polish press Agency (PAP) reported.
Kosiniak-Kamysz described the new barracks as "our joint allied investment" and described Polish and American soldiers as "ironclad allies."
"We were together in Iraq, in Afghanistan," he said, adding that the collaboration of Polish and US troops on various missions was aimed at making peace rather than waging wars.
The commander of the US Army's 1st Armoured Division stationed in Poland, Major General Curtis Taylor emphasized the allegiance between the countries.
“The Głębokie Complex is clear evidence of the lasting commitment and lasting alliance that we have with the Polish armed forces and the Polish people."
The facility was completed in 2024 and financed by national funds and the NATO Security Investment Program.
The opening of the center comes amid months of speculation that the U.S. is considering withdrawing thousands of troops from the eastern flank. Both the Polish president and foreign minister have denied the rumors.
