In a significant shift in military strategy, the United States Army has confirmed the withdrawal of its troops and equipment from a vital logistics hub in Poland that has been pivotal in supplying weapons and military aid to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Rzeszów, located just an hour from Ukraine’s border, has acted as a crucial transit point for military shipments heading to Kyiv. Over the past year, the hub has facilitated the delivery of essential supplies, including 300 Bradley fighting vehicles, 31 Abrams main battle tanks, 10,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles, and half a billion rounds of small arms ammunition.
The US has described the decision to pull out as part of a broader strategy to optimise military operations, though it raises questions about the future of Ukraine’s logistical support. The announcement comes just weeks after President Trump temporarily froze US military aid to Ukraine, a move that reportedly delayed the transit of 49 Australian Abrams tanks, though the freeze was later lifted.
While Rzeszów’s airport is not a permanent military base, it has been an important hub for US and NATO forces, including a UK logistics presence. Notably, Prince William visited the site in 2023 to meet British troops stationed there. The US began using the location for temporary operations in 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the base quickly became a vital part of the Western effort to support Kyiv.
With the American withdrawal, responsibility for force protection at the hub will shift to Poland and its NATO allies. This transition has been anticipated, with Germany deploying two Patriot missile batteries to the airport in January, possibly in preparation for the change.
Washington has made it clear that its troops will be redeployed to other parts of Poland, part of the broader effort to adjust NATO’s military posture in response to the ongoing conflict. In addition to the US presence, the UK maintains 150 troops in Poland as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence, and until December, around 100 British personnel from 7 Air Defence Group were stationed at Rzeszów, operating the Sky Sabre anti-aircraft missile system.
The Ministry of Defence has not commented on what the US withdrawal will mean for the British contingent at Rzeszów, but the loss of US logistics personnel on the ground is a serious blow for Ukraine. The absence of these troops to process and coordinate aid shipments could lead to slower deliveries of critical military support, further complicating the situation as the war drags on.
The decision to pull US troops from this vital location highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the West in maintaining a consistent flow of military aid to Ukraine, especially as the situation in Poland continues to evolve. For Ukraine, the message is clear: the pace of aid deliveries may slow, which could have far-reaching consequences for its ability to defend against Russian aggression.
