Poland reaffirmed the long-standing commitment to its alliance with the United States as newly appointed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Warsaw on February 14 – his first bilateral trip since taking office.

However, Warsaw is also grappling with unease over recent statements by both Hegseth and his boss, President Donald Trump. In the past 48 hours, Trump stunned European leaders by calling Russian President Vladimir Putin – before reaching out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy – in an attempt to jump-start "peace talks."

Shortly before the Trump-Putin call, Hegseth suggested that Russia could retain the Ukrainian territory it currently controls and that Ukraine would not be offered NATO membership – comments made even before formal negotiations had begun.

Standing alongside Hegseth in Warsaw, Poland’s Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz put on a brave front to the developments.

“These [Trump-Putin conversations] are just the first step and it is just the beginning, not the finale. It’s [important] that we all realise that. We are going to see what the outcome will be. We must be strong and united,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Poland has been one of Kyiv’s staunchest allies. With its strategic location, Poland has also served as a key logistics hub for Western military aid to Ukraine. 

Warsaw has long feared that a peace deal favouring Russia could only serve Putin to regroup and attack Nato – with Poland and the Baltic States the first targets.

But Hegseth framed Trump’s diplomatic push as a reflection of the realities on the ground.

“Anything is possible, but it’s been my task to introduce some realism. [Ukraine] going back to pre-2014 borders is highly unlikely, neither is it likely that US troops will ever be in Ukraine,” Hegseth said.

The Trump administration appears to be following up on the president’s previous criticisms that Europe has not done enough to strengthen its own defences against Russia.

“What happens five, 10, 15 years from now is part of a larger discussion that reflects the threat level, America’s posture, our needs around the globe, but most importantly the capability of European countries to step up,” Hegseth said.

“That’s why our message is so stark to our European allies – now is the time to invest because you can’t make an assumption that America’s presence will last forever,” he added.

Kosiniak-Kamysz struck a more traditional note, repeating the familiar Polish assertion that the alliance with the US remains as strong as ever – a staple message of high-level meetings between the two countries for the past 25 years.

At the same time, he echoed Trump’s stance that Europe must significantly increase its defence spending to ensure “peace and freedom through strength.”

“Poland is an example for others to follow,” he said, pointing to Warsaw’s plan to allocate 4.7% of GDP to defence in 2025 – more than any other NATO country, including the US.

He also noted that Poland would prioritise purchasing American weaponry.

“We were together in Iraq and Afghanistan on missions against terrorism. We are going to support the US, and we are going to be a committed ally,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said, thanking Hegseth for the presence of US troops in Poland.

Hegseth responded by reaffirming Poland’s role in Washington’s strategic calculations.

“Poland is our strategic frontline partner on NATO’s eastern flank. A model partner, not in words but in action,” he said.

As the US reassesses its global commitments, Poland appears well positioned to maintain its hosting of 8,000 American troops. Warsaw has also secured an exemption from Trump’s freeze of the US State Department’s Foreign Military Financing programme, which helps allies purchase American arms.

Kosiniak-Kamysz went further, describing Poland as a potential “transatlantic liner connecting the US and Europe.” One way to achieve this, he suggested, would be by establishing Poland as a service hub for US military equipment used by NATO’s eastern flank.