Poland has asked Donald Trump to set up a permanent military base in the country to shore up its defences against Russia - a step that would anger Moscow if it went ahead. The Polish government has offered to pay $2bn (£1.5bn) to establish the joint armoured division, which would have 15,000 US troops and 250 tanks and armoured vehicles. A written proposal from the Polish defence ministry that was sent to Washington focuses on the words of President Trump, who last year warned in Warsaw of “dire threats to our security and to our way of life”. Mr Trump added: “We will confront them ... we will win.” The Polish paper states: "A permanent presence of a US armoured division in Poland will help achieve that goal. "Establishing such a force is necessary to present an unequivocal challenge and deterrence to Russia's increasingly emboldened and dangerous posture that threatens Europe." Moscow would consider the establishment of such a force in Poland a breach of the 1997 Nato Russia Founding Act, through which Nato agreed not to deploy permanent forces in eastern Europe. Discussions between the Polish defence ministry and the Pentagon have already begun. Mariusz Blaszczak, the Polish defence minister, revealed he had recently held talks in Washington about having US troops in the country. And the US Senate Armed Services Committee has already asked James Mattis, the defence secretary, to assess the cost of permanently stationing American troops there. Coming just over a month before Nato leaders gather in Brussels for a summit, the proposal warns of Moscow's expansion ambitions. "Russia's strategy under President Putin is to openly disrupt and change the European security structure and decrease the level of US leadership and involvement throughout the continent to weaken the transatlantic alliance," it says. "Permanent US troops in Poland will send a clear message to Russia of US support for its eastern European allies." The documents, obtained by Polish news site Onet, reportedly contain information on possible deployment of military facilities and hospitals as well as schools and gyms for staff and their families. In a sign of growing discord within the Polish government, the defence ministry confirmed that the proposal was sent to Washington without the knowledge of the president, Andrzej Duda, according to some reports. Mr Trump said last year: “A strong Poland is a blessing to the nations of Europe, and they know that. A strong Europe is a blessing to the West and to the world. One hundred years after the entry of American forces into World War One, the transatlantic bond between the United States and Europe is as strong as ever and maybe, in many ways, even stronger.” World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire.<doc-sep>Poland has asked the US to establish a permanent military base on their soil in a bid to counter Russian aggression. A proposal from the Polish defence ministry, obtained by Polish news site Onet, states that Warsaw is willing to pay up to $2 billion to fund the new base. The Polish offer reflects a long-standing desire in Warsaw to build closer security relations with the US, ever since entering Nato in 1999. Polish officials believe the plan has taken on an added urgency in the wake of Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region four years ago, and Vladimir Putin’s aggressive posture toward the alliance. Poland currently hosts US armed forces and Nato units, who are stationed in the country on a rotational basis, moving between Poland and three Baltic states to the north. Poland’s defence ministry, which confirmed the authenticity of the document, said it had been sent to Washington and Mariusz Blaszczak, the Polish defence minister, told state Radio 1 he has recently held talks in Washington about having a permanent presence of US troops in Poland.<doc-sep>US Army Europe squadron prepares for a tactical march through Poland as part of Saber Strike 2018. (CNN) — A massive US-led military exercise involving 18,000 soldiers from 19 nations, primarily NATO members, kicked off Sunday along the alliance’s eastern border. Saber Strike 18 will take place until June 15 in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The multinational exercise, which is being held for the eighth time, “is the platform to validate our collective capability to rapidly respond to and reinforce allies in a time of crisis,” said US Army Europe. It is “a clear demonstration of the commitment and solidarity of the alliance.” The exercise will be conducted amid heightened tensions with Moscow, which views any NATO military activities along its border negatively, maintaining that it increases “mutual distrust.” Poland recently revealed it is considering a proposal for a permanent deployment of US troops to the country – a move Russia denounced as “gradual expansion of NATO” towards its borders. US Army Europe/Capt. Jeku Arce US Army Europe soldiers cross the Czech-Polish border during a Saber Strike 2018 exercise. “When NATO infrastructure directly approaches our borders, this certainly does not contribute to security and stability on the continent in any way,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said while responding to a question about the creation of a US military base in Poland. US Army Europe/Capt. William Duvall US Army Europe battalion sets up its area of operations in Poland. Relations between NATO and Moscow have grown increasingly tense in recent years. Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the ongoing fighting between pro-Russian separatists and government forces in eastern Ukraine have caused growing unease among NATO members in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states. “Saber Strike 18 is not a provocation of Russia but an exercise with our allies,” US Army Europe said. “This is what normal deterrence business looks like.” Part of the joint military exercises include air assault operations, convoy security, and bridge and river crossings to support freedom of movement. The countries participating this year include Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. US Army Europe said residents in the exercise countries, as well as Germany and the Czech Republic, can expect increased military convoys on the roadways as troops will be moving from home stations and port facilities to the sites of the exercise.<doc-sep>
Poland is willing to pay the U.S. up to $2 billion for the installment of a permanent American military base in the nation, according to a document Polish news portal Outlet obtained. “This proposal outlines the clear and present need for a permanent U.S. armored division deployed in Poland, Poland’s commitment to provide significant support that may reach $1.5-2 billion by establishing joint military installations and provide for more flexible movement of U.S. forces,” the Polish defense ministry states in the document. The ministry goes a step further in trying to coax the U.S. into agreeing to the terms, adding it is willing “to share the burden of defense spending, make the decision more cost-effective for the U.S. government and allay any concerns for Congress in uncertain budgetary times.” Poland has long asked for American support, including troops and a permanent military base, for decades. (RELATED: Polish President Signs ‘Holocaust’ Blame Bill) Prior to former President Barack Obama’s visit to Poland in 2014, where he announced the U.S. would spend $1 billion boosting its military presence in Eastern Europe, former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski backhandedly urged the U.S. to set up a permanent military presence in the nation. “For the first time since the Second World War, one European country has taken a province by force from another European country,” Sikorski told The New York Times. “America, we hope, has ways of reassuring us that we haven’t even thought about. There are major bases in Britain, in Spain, in Portugal, in Greece, in Italy. Why not here?” Poland is, notably, one of the NATO member nations that has agreed to President Donald Trump’s call for members to cough up two percent, or more, of their GDPs to military defense. Poland has done that since 2015. (RELATED: Poland Signs Deal With US To Gain Patriot Missiles) The proposal comes nearly one month before members of NATO gather in Brussels for a summertime summit. Russia, a NATO partner country, isn’t likely to take the Polish offering to America well, which could complicate Poland’s relationship with other member nations, like Italy and Germany. Both of the nations have expressed an intent to smooth over relations with Moscow. Poland is likely fearing Russia’s continued influence and takeover of Ukraine’s Crimea region — a campaign the Kremlin began four years ago during Obama’s administration. Follow Robert Donachie on Twitter and Facebook Send tips to robert@ dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.