World

U.S. Weighing Placement Of Army Equipment in Poland

WARSAW, Poland (AP) -
Dutch soldiers of the Air Brigade depart for Poland from Eindhoven Airport on Friday for the first joint exercise of the Very High Readiness Task Force (VJTF) of the NATO. 2,100 soldiers from nine countries will take part in the exercise. (JEROEN JUMELET/AFP/Getty Images)
Dutch soldiers of the Air Brigade depart for Poland from Eindhoven Airport on Friday for the first joint exercise of the Very High Readiness Task Force (VJTF) of the NATO. 2,100 soldiers from nine countries will take part in the exercise.
(JEROEN JUMELET/AFP/Getty Images)

The U.S. will “soon” make a decision to place heavy army equipment in warehouses in Poland for decades to come, the eastern European country’s defense minister said Sunday.

A former Moscow satellite, Poland believes that its security is threatened by Russia’s hostile actions in neighboring Ukraine and is seeking a permanent U.S. and NATO presence on its territory and in the region, as a deterrent.

Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak tweeted Sunday that he and U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter held talks about placing U.S. heavy army equipment in Poland last month.

“Decisions are near,” he wrote.

Siemoniak did not specify numbers or what type of equipment was being discussed. The White House and the U.S. defense secretary need to approve such a move.

NATO is holding massive sea, land and air exercises this month in Poland, the Baltic states and Romania in response to calls from these members for greater security reassurance.