On July 23–24, 2026, Polish Deputy Minister of National Defence Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka visited Washington, D.C. Her schedule included talks with Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas G. DiNanno, Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency Mary Beth Morgan, and representatives of the U.S. defense industry.
Photo: Under Secretary of State Thomas G. DiNanno via X
The talks concerned the presence of U.S. troops in Poland, as well as military and industrial cooperation.
Yesterday, at 2:30 p.m. Polish time, a press briefing was held during which Deputy Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka announced that a proposal had been presented to the U.S. side. It concerned a declaration made by U.S. President Donald Trump on July 8, the second day of the NATO Summit in Ankara, when, during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he proposed granting Ukraine a license to manufacture interceptor missiles for its MIM-104 Patriot air and missile defense systems domestically.
The deputy minister presented the Polish government’s proposal that production should take place within a U.S.-Ukraine-Poland framework. The argument for Poland’s participation in the initiative is the need to secure production and locate it in a safe area. She emphasized that the missiles are needed virtually worldwide, hence Poland’s offer to participate in such co-production.
“We discussed what President Donald Trump said during the NATO Summit in Ankara, namely his declaration that the establishment of a Patriot production plant in Ukraine would be considered. The proposal I presented today on behalf of Poland addresses certain concerns on the U.S. side. We proposed that this should be trilateral cooperation involving the United States, Ukraine, and Poland, because the objective is to secure production and ensure that it takes place in a safe location. This is a product needed virtually throughout the world. Hence our offer for Poland to participate in such co-production,” the deputy minister emphasized. She added that talks on the matter would now continue among the United States, Ukraine, and Poland.
She also argued that the proposed European PAC-3 missile maintenance center should be located in Poland, citing the condition of the country’s defense industry as well as its geographic and geopolitical position.
Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka presented the U.S. side with the steps already taken by the Polish government regarding the proposal to establish a permanent U.S. military base in Poland. She stressed that the government had already adopted a resolution on the matter and that legislation to finance the U.S. base was being prepared. She added that the report had been very well received by the U.S. side. Teams in Poland and the United States are already working on the permanent presence of allied troops in the country. The final decision will rest with President Donald Trump.
“Today, I presented in very concrete terms the steps the Polish government has already taken. Among other things, we have a specific resolution of the Council of Ministers. We are also preparing draft legislation that could secure financing for the base,” Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka said. “As far as the base is concerned, what I can announce is that a team has already been established on the U.S. side to work on creating such a facility,” she added.
She also said that another 4 billion USD (14.68 billion PLN) loan under the Foreign Military Financing program for weapons procurement should be signed within the next few weeks. The proposal was presented on June 12 by Under Secretary Thomas G. DiNanno during the ceremony marking the entry into service of the first F-35A Husarz multirole fighters with the Polish Armed Forces.
“I hope the agreement will also be signed within the next few weeks,” she said.
On the first day of the visit, the talks also addressed locating production of low-cost SL Barracuda-500M cruise missiles in Poland.
“Great meeting with Polish Deputy Minister of National Defence Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka. We discussed advancing defense-industrial initiatives from the Ankara Summit, including Barracuda production and the PAC-3 Missile Maintenance Facility. Proud of our enduring U.S.-Polish alliance and shared commitment to Peace Through Strength,” Under Secretary Thomas G. DiNanno wrote on X after the meeting.
Later today, Polish time, Minister Sobkowiak-Czarnecka will also participate in EU Defence Night as the only minister from a European Union member state. She will appear alongside European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael P. Duffey in a panel discussion on U.S.-European defense-industrial cooperation.
Produkcja Barracuda-500M jednym z głównych tematów rozmów w USA. Przypomnijmy, że PGZ i WZL nr 2 zawarły umowę z Anduril Industries dotyczący montażu, a docelowo produkcji pocisków manewrujących dalekiego zasięgu. https://t.co/Qmx2A0ntdT
— Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa🇵🇱 (@PGZ_pl) July 24, 2026
Wiele rozmów. Jeden cel – bezpieczna Polska. Strategiczna ofensywa trwa🇵🇱🇺🇸
Dziś i jutro w Waszyngtonie @magdasobkowiak prowadzi rozmowy z zastępcą sekretarza stanu ds. bezpieczeństwa międzynarodowego @UnderSecT oraz zastępcą sekretarza wojny ds. uzbrojenia Michaelm Duffeyem -…
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) July 23, 2026
Zaczynam wizytę w Waszyngtonie. Dzisiaj spotkania w Pentagonie i Departamencie Stanu. Bazy, współpraca przemysłowa i najnowsze technologie, o tym będę rozmawiać. @MON_GOV_PL pic.twitter.com/T5oOun4yUx
— Magdalena Sobkowiak (@magdasobkowiak) July 23, 2026
