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US Opens New Missile Defense Base in Poland to Strengthen NATO’s Eastern Flank
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![Vlad Litnarovych]( "Vlad Litnarovych")
The United States opened a new missile defense base in Redzikowo, a town in northern Poland near the Baltic Sea, Reuters reported on November 13.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said that this event emphasizes the country’s security as a NATO member, despite its proximity to the war zone in Ukraine.
“The United States is a guarantor of Poland’s security,” Duda stated, adding that the continued US military presence reinforces Poland’s position outside “Russia’s sphere of influence.”
The base opening comes amid concerns about future US policy towards NATO following Donald Trump’s US presidential election victory.
Trump’s statements suggesting he might not defend countries that invest insufficiently in defense have stirred discussions within the alliance.
President Duda emphasized the strong relationship with Trump and Poland’s commitment to strengthening NATO.
The Redzikowo base is part of NATO’s larger “Aegis Ashore” missile defense shield, intended to intercept short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
The shield also includes a base in Romania, US destroyers stationed in Spain’s Rota port, and a radar system in Turkey.
The Kremlin has criticized the base since it was a project in 2007 as a “threat” to Russia’s security, alleging it’s an attempt to contain Russian influence. NATO, however, states the shield is purely defensive.
Earlier, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces Wiesław Kukuła stated that Poland will not intercept Russian missiles and drones over Ukrainian territory.
