President Duda: the world will clearly see Poland's no longer in Russian sphere of influence

The ceremony, held Wednesday (November 13) in Redzikowo, northern Poland, celebrated the official opening of the American missile defense facility designed to protect the United States and its European allies against ballistic missile threats. Dignitaries present included President Andrzej Duda, Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski, and senior U.S. officials, including Ambassador Mark Brzezinski.

The Redzikowo base is part of the United States' broader missile defense system aimed at safeguarding against ballistic missiles, with particular concern for threats originating from Iran.

At the event, President Duda expressed that the base's opening is a significant, symbolic, and moving moment for him personally.

"I will never forget the first time I heard about the idea of establishing an American missile defense base in Poland, back in 2008," he recalled. "At that time, I was the youngest minister in the Chancellery of President Lech Kaczyński. It was Professor Lech Kaczyński himself who spoke to me about this crucial concept for Poland’s security," he reflected.

The President also acknowledged the role of former Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski in facilitating this American investment. "At that time, President Lech Kaczyński said to me: 'Andrzej, these missiles won’t be defending Poland per se—they’re designed to intercept ballistic missiles. In reality, they’ll protect territories far, far from Poland from missiles potentially launched, for example, from Iran,'" the president recounted.

Continuing, he explained: "This will be an American missile base, holding American military secrets, some of the United States' greatest secrets, which they will guard closely. And that’s significant because this American base will be built here, on Polish soil, at its heart. From the moment this base is established here, the whole world will clearly see that this is no longer a Russian sphere of influence," Duda said, recalling his conversation with Kaczyński.

President Duda reflected on Poland's history, noting that "we were often abandoned by our allies, left to the mercy of aggressors." At the same time, he emphasized that the United States has always been seen by Poles as an allied country, and American soldiers have been welcomed as friends.

"That’s why I’ll say once again what I’ve shared in private meetings over the years with U.S. presidents, generals, and admirals I’ve had the pleasure to speak with: if anyone in the world is unhappy with having American soldiers and an American base stationed in their country, come to us. You’re warmly invited; relocate here, and we will always welcome you with joy," the president said.

He noted that there are currently around 10,000 American soldiers stationed in various parts of Poland. "We can confidently say that the United States is indeed, even in the purely physical sense, a guarantor of the security of the Republic of Poland, as well as the entire North Atlantic Alliance, especially along its eastern flank, given the current Russian invasion of Ukraine," Duda said.

"One can certainly say that relations between Poland and the USA are the best in history."

President Duda highlighted that Poland is currently making the largest-scale weapons purchases from the United States of any NATO country, mentioning acquisitions like HIMARS launchers, Patriot missile defense systems, F-35 fighter jets, and ABRAMS tanks.

"And not only in this military sense within the Alliance, but also politically, one can certainly say that relations between Poland and the USA are the best in history," the Polish president assessed.

During the ceremony, the president welcomed the "American friends" in attendance. "I thank the United States authorities, and individual presidents, for making these important decisions," Duda said.

In his view, the opening of the base in Redzikowo is a symbol of Polish-American relations. "Twenty-five years after joining the North Atlantic Alliance, this solid infrastructure of the U.S. Army and NATO is here on this soil," he emphasized. "I am immensely pleased that we are officially opening this base, which, like the U.S. Army itself, will defend the freedom and security of the world," he noted.

U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski also spoke at the event, expressing the United States' appreciation for Poland's role as a steadfast ally in transatlantic defense. He emphasized that under President Joe Biden, Poland’s security had become a top priority for the United States. Brzezinski also highlighted Poland’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, noting the risks the country had taken in doing so and praising the immense mobilization of aid provided to Ukraine.

He stated that the U.S. missile defense base in Poland enhances NATO’s overall security, making NATO safer due to Poland’s involvement, and ensuring greater security for U.S. military forces in Europe. He explained that the Aegis Ashore system is a U.S. Navy installation located on Polish soil.

During his address, Brzezinski also highlighted Poland’s defense spending, noting that nearly five percent of the country’s GDP is dedicated to defense. He commended Poland for assuming a leadership role within NATO, which had helped advance shared defense objectives, and described the country as an incredibly responsible ally, friend, and partner of the United States.

Brzezinski reassured the audience that, despite the upcoming change in U.S. administration, the strong partnership between the U.S. and Poland would remain unchanged. He emphasized that the close cooperation and partnership between the two countries would continue.

The ambassador also mentioned President-elect Donald Trump’s relationship with Poland, describing him as a friend to the country who had been an unwavering advocate for Poland and its people. Brzezinski expressed confidence that the strong partnership between the two nations would persist.

Finally, Brzezinski affirmed that the American base in Redzikowo was intended to ensure peace in the region, expressing pride in Poland’s role in helping to build a secure Europe and world.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz remarked that "an American destroyer on Polish soil is becoming a reality." He called it an extraordinary event in the security history of Poland, the United States, and NATO, adding, "Poland is becoming part of the best and most effective air defense system."

He described the opening of the base in Redzikowo as both a "milestone and a cornerstone."

"A milestone in missile defense and air defense for all NATO countries, for Europe, and for the United States. Through this American base in Redzikowo, Europe, the United States, Poland, and NATO become even more secure, becoming the most powerful alliance in the modern world," the MOD chief stressed.

During his speech, Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski noted that "in the United States, governments were changing, in Poland, governments were changing, and the base was being built." "So this base is a monument not only to the Polish-American alliance and its stability, but also to the Polish-Polish alliance," he said.

The head of Polish diplomacy recalled that "Russia is once again invading its neighbor, so this Polish unity, despite political divisions, is even more important." "This is the shield of the United States, the shield of NATO, and also the shield of Poland. It is a good day for the United States, for NATO, and for the security of Poland," he stated.

Sikorski also reminded that the agreement on the creation of the base was signed by him, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on August 20, 2008, with American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in the presence of President Lech Kaczyński and Prime Minister Donald Tusk. "It was just a few days after the Russian invasion of Georgia, and it was no coincidence," he emphasized.

"I am glad that this base is being built, and I will pray that it never has to be used," he added.

The opening of the base marks the culmination of a project announced in 2009 by President Barack Obama.

The construction of the facility in Redzikowo began in 2016 and faced numerous delays. It was ultimately opened six years later than originally planned. The Pentagon placed the primary blame on the subcontractor responsible for building the base, with delays also attributed to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to available information, the Redzikowo base is equipped with the Aegis Ashore system – a land-based version of the Aegis missile defense system mounted on ships, designed to protect against ballistic missiles. Alongside its twin base in Deveselu, Romania, the Redzikowo base is intended to defend Europe from medium-range (1,000-3,000 km) and intermediate-range (3,000-5,500 km) missiles.

The Aegis Ashore system includes the AN/SPY-1 radar, the Mk 41 VLS (Vertical Launching System) launcher (similar to those installed on US Navy cruisers and destroyers), and SM-3 (Standard Missile-3) anti-ballistic missiles. The SM-3 missiles are designed to intercept ballistic missiles in their midcourse phase, above the Earth's atmosphere. These missiles are equipped with a kinetic warhead, which aims to destroy the warhead of the incoming missile by physically colliding with it.