The head of the BBN met with the adviser of the President of the United States
Head of the National Security Bureau, Minister Pawel Soloch received dr. Richard D. Hooker Jr. – a special assistant to President Donald Trump, a member of the US National Security Council, Senior Director for Europe and Russia.
The main purpose of the visit of dr. R. Hooker to Poland was to consult with representatives of our country's authorities regarding security issues in the Central and Eastern European region and Polish-American cooperation, both bilateral and in the allied dimension.
During the meeting, the issues of the US military presence in Poland and prospects for its possible enlargement were discussed, especially in the context of the increasingly worrying activities of the Russian Federation. Dr. R. Hooker pointed out that the confrontational attitude of Moscow reduces the areas even for selective cooperation, aiming at a policy based primarily on deterrence.
The priorities of Poland and the USA for the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels were also discussed. It was agreed that despite the importance of the necessary changes in the Alliance Command Structure, what should be most important is building the real operational capabilities that can only be achieved through an active exercise policy, especially in the LIVEX formula (with troops) and increasing defense spending by these member states that do not meet the 2% of GDP criterion.
Dr. R. Hooker thanked Poland for its involvement in international security activities, not only in the region, including the presence of Polish Armed Forces in Latvia or Romania, but also in the Middle East, in the training mission in Iraq, in the Mediterranean and in Afghanistan. He stressed that Poland is one of the most credible partners of the United States.
Minister Pawel Soloch, expressed his gratitude for the United States’ support to our state. At the same time he pointed out the important, leading role of the USA, to which Poland attaches great importance and which should not be reduced.