Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone today with Polish Minister of Defence Mariusz Błaszczak to reinforce the importance of the longstanding U.S.-Poland strategic alliance.
The Secretary and the Minister discussed a range of issues, including Poland’s commitment to defense modernization, the U.S. force presence in Poland, and the extension of the New START Treaty, and exchanged views on regional security.
The two leaders hailed the significance of the recently signed Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement as important to strengthening our mil-to-mil relationship and look forward to its implementation. The enduring presence of U.S. rotational forces in Poland enhances NATO’s interoperability and strengthens defense and deterrence along NATO’s eastern flank.
Secretary Austin noted the value of Poland’s contributions to the NATO Alliance and expressed his commitment to continued consultation on challenges impacting Euro-Atlantic security. Both leaders look forward to meeting in-person when COVID conditions allow.