Poland is ready to table $2bn (€1.7bn) for the US to establish a permanent military base, which might be called “Fort Trump”, Polish President Andrzej Duda told his US peer Donald Trump during a meeting in the White House on September 18.

Poland is pushing for a permanent US military presence to strengthen defence capabilities against Russia, which both Warsaw and Washington have said is a growing threat.

“Today, unfortunately, we are seeing international law being violated. Today we are seeing aggressive behaviour and I am convinced that there is no more effective method of preventing a war than a decisive stance demonstrating that we are ready any moment to repel a possible attack,” Duda said at a press conference that followed his meeting with Trump.

The Polish president lambasted Russia for increasing its military presence in Kaliningrad, the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. 

Trump said he “appreciated” Poland’s offer of paying “more than $2bn” to cover the costs of a permanent military base, adding the US was “looking at it.”

“President [Duda] offered us much more than $2bn to do this, and so we’re looking at it. We’re looking at it from the standpoint of, number one, military protection for both countries, and also cost — a term you don’t hear too often and you haven’t heard too often over the last 25 years,” Trump said.

Russia will likely criticise the idea, as it did in May, saying that strengthening Nato’s defence capabilities close to Russia’s borders compromises stability in Europe.

The US is currently rotating troops in Poland as part of both countries’ cooperation within Nato. 

Poland is one of the Nato countries that is meeting the alliance’s recommended level of defence spending equal to 2% of GDP. Trump has criticised other Nato members for not meeting that commitment, which, he says, means the US is effectively paying for their security. Trump’s outspoken comments on the issue have created confusion in Nato.

Duda and Trump also appeared to agree on concerns over the Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 that will link Russia with Germany directly via the Baltic Sea. 

Poland and other CEE countries fear Moscow is establishing too strong ties with Germany over their heads and sooner or later will take advantage by manipulating gas supplies to the region without having to worry about reactions from further West.

“We will continue to coordinate our efforts to counter energy projects that threaten our mutual security, such as Nord Stream 2,” both heads of state said in a statement that followed their meeting. 

The statement also covered issues of security and defence – other than the permanent military base – as well as energy, trade, investment, research, and innovation.