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Poland Calls For Permanent NATO Troop Presence
Poland has again called on NATO to establish a permanent troop presence in former Warsaw Pact countries.
The country's President Andrzej Duda says he wants an upcoming summit to commit to the proposal, speaking during a visit to the alliance's headquarters.
NATO has instead offered to beef up exercises and rotate forces in and out of the region.
It comes after Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said his country might be willing to soften its opposition to Britain's welfare plans for EU citizens living in the UK, but only if London agrees to help bolster NATO troops permanently based in Poland.
The nation has been fiercely against Mr Cameron's plans to limit the amount of in-work benefits EU migrants can claim while living in Britain.
Picture: A column of Warrior armoured fighting vehicles moving along an autumnal forest track in Poland during Exercise Black Eagle
But Mr Waszczykowski said his country might now be willing to compromise.
In exchange, Poland would want Britain to back permanent basing of NATO troops in the country, to deter Russian aggression and bolster Europe's eastern flank.
Poland has previously said it wants two heavy NATO Brigades of between 3-5,000 troops permanently stationed there. But some states believe that would break a 1997 NATO-Russia agreement on the size of forces the alliance can put in former Warsaw Pact countries including Poland and worry Russia could see it as a hostile act.
The issues will no doubt be discussed at the NATO summit in Warsaw in July.
With a UK referendum over Europe to be held either this year or next, this is the first sign that Poland could be willing to strike a deal, and has been heralded as a significant breakthrough for David Cameron.
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