Polish pres. extends service time of contingents in country, overseas
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Polish military contingents stationed overseas are also included as part of expanding their service time.
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Poland's President Andrzej Duda gives a statement to the media in Warsaw, Poland, January 10, 2024. (AP)
The extension of the military deployments of US, UK, and Canadian contingents in Poland has been approved by Polish President Andrzej Duda, according to the Polish National Security Bureau.
In a statement issued on Friday, the bureau said, "President Andrzej Duda issued a decree allowing components of allied forces as well as weapons and military equipment from the following countries to remain stationed on the Polish territory until December 31, 2024: the United States — up to 6,500 troops, the United Kingdom — up to 700 troops, Canada — up to 350 troops."
Approximately 10,000 US soldiers, according to the Polish authorities, were stationed there, while the bureau also stated that Polish military contingents stationed overseas were expanded during the same period.
"President Andrzej Duda issued a decree extending the deployment of three Polish military contingents until December 31, 2024: in Turkey — up to 95 soldiers, in Iraq — up to 350 soldiers, in Latvia — up to 260 soldiers," the bureau said.
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This comes just two weeks after the Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk announced that Warsaw has not agreed to provide its own Patriot air defense system to Ukraine.
In April, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Poland cannot provide a Patriot system to Ukraine since Warsaw is in the process of integrating these weapons into its military forces.
Responding to a New York Times report that Poland-deployed systems would be sent to Ukraine, Tomczyk wrote on X that "The US battery will be replaced by a battery from another part of the world. Poland has not agreed to hand over the Polish battery. Polish Patriots protect Polish skies and this will not change."
