The American preparatory group landed at the airport in Jesionka (near Rzeszów). In the meantime, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau was paying a visit to Washington where he met among others with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

During a press conference organised for the occasion of the American troops’ arrival, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak announced that the freshly arrived men are “well known to the soldiers of the Polish Army.” 

“They have exercised together more than once, have taken part in joint missions more than once, and have served hand in hand in many countries around the world” he explained.

The Defence Minister said that the American soldiers will operate in the southeastern part of Poland. “This is the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance, constituting the eastern border of the Republic of Poland. This is a place that will attract the attention of the entire alliance,” he emphasized. 

Commanders of the Polish armed forces of Poland and the United States also took the floor. “In our opinion, the presence of American paratroopers proves the unity, solidarity, and determination of the Alliance supporting the countries of NATO’s eastern flank. It is also a significant strengthening of our forces,” said Brig. Wojciech Marchwica.

Christopher Donahue, the commander of the 82nd US Airborne Division, agreed with his Polish counterpart. “Units of the 82nd Airborne Division were ordered to move to Poland in order to strengthen allied readiness and interoperability in all domains and – if necessary – to defend the NATO alliance. This is a continuation of close cooperation with our Polish allies […] It is an honour for us to work hand in hand with Poles, Donahue said. 

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