Mike Pompeo visits Warsaw to sign defense agreement with Poland

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Warsaw on Saturday to sign an Enhanced Defense Co-operation Agreement (EDCA) with Poland.

Last month, the U.S. announced it would withdraw 12,000 troops from Germany, with 6,400 returning home and 5,600 being redeployed to other European countries, including Poland.

At least 1,000 U.S. troops will now be stationed in the country, while several U.S. military commands, including the U.S. Army V Corps overseas headquarters, will be moved to Poland next year.

The agreement grants U.S. forces access to additional Polish military installations and outlines the logistical and infrastructure costs of catering for greater numbers of U.S. troops, which will be shared between the two countries.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Poland's defense minister Mariusz Blaszczak are all smiles after signing the Enhanced Defense Co-operation Agreement (EDCA) on Saturday. /AFP

Earlier this week, Polish defense minister Mariusz Blaszczak attended military training exercises of U.S. and Polish soldiers in the northwest of Poland, ahead of the signing.

He said: "Based on Polish-U.S. cooperation, Drawsko-Pomorskie military training area will turn into the center for combat training, one of the most advanced and developed centres in Europe, because the Polish government cares about the safety of our nation."

Pompeo's decision to move troops and bases to Poland is the result of U.S President Donald Trump's longstanding criticism of Germany, who he has accused of not spending enough on defense and failing to pay NATO bills.

At least 1,000 more U.S. troops will be stationed in Poland, while several U.S. military commands will move their headquarters to the country. /Reuters

While the move will have done little to improve relations with Germany, it has been warmly welcomed by the Polish government, who have formed a strong relationship with the Trump administration.

Polish president Andrzej Duda received an invitation to the White House before he was re-elected in June following a closely-fought battle with rival Rafal Trzaskowski.

However, several policies adopted by Duda's Justice and Law party have created tension with the European Union, which fears Duda is slowly eroding democracy in the country and putting it at odds with the approach of other EU nations.