Poland is set to receive its first batch of F-35 stealth fighter jets under an agreement with the United States, as Warsaw strengthens security along its borders with Russia and Ukraine.
The announcement from Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz coincided with US President Donald Trump’s statement that 5,000 American troops would be deployed to Poland, amid continued NATO concerns over Washington’s commitment to the alliance.
Poland signed a $4.6-billion deal for 32 fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets in 2020 during Trump’s first term, with deliveries scheduled to conclude by 2029. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski welcomed the unexpected troop deployment announcement.
Although Trump provided no further details, the move appeared to reverse an earlier decision to halt the deployment of 4,000 US troops to Poland, a step widely viewed as linked to tensions over NATO allies’ limited support during the Iran conflict.
As Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine continues, Poland has emerged as NATO’s highest defense spender this year, allocating more than 4.8 percent of its GDP toward military modernization through multi-billion-euro arms purchases, primarily from the United States and South Korea.
