Eli Wright / U.S. Army Photo
Troop withdrawal from a key logistics hub supporting Kiev is presented as «optimization of military operations»
The U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command, headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, has announced the withdrawal of its forces from the Jasionka Air Base near Rzeszów, Poland. This military facility has served as a critical logistical hub for Western military aid to Ukraine, with 90% of supplies en route to Lvov passing through it. The personnel and equipment stationed there since 2022 will now be moved to other locations within Poland — more than ten such facilities are available.
According to the command’s statement, the move is «part of a long-planned action within a broader strategy to optimize military operations». The decision was coordinated with the Polish government and other NATO allies. Christopher Donahue, head of the command, emphasized that the move would, among other things, «save U.S. taxpayers tens of millions of dollars».
«This site is not a permanent military base, although it has been used by U.S., NATO and partner forces for the past three years», the statement said. Donahue also clarified that the air base will remain available for future military support, should the need arise.
For nearly three years, several hundred U.S. troops have worked tirelessly unloading C-17 and C-130 transport planes to maintain a steady flow of supplies overseas. They have also provided security for the hub with the Patriot air defense system. That role is now being taken over by Poland, with support from other NATO partners. One hundred Norwegian troops operating a NASAMS air defense system have already arrived, and Germany has deployed a Patriot battery. The hub’s cargo operations will now be handled by Norwegian, German, British and Polish forces.
For reference, Rzeszów is about 50 kilometers from the Ukrainian border with Volyn.
The withdrawal of U.S. forces does not mean that President Donald Trump intends to reduce support for Ukraine. Rather, Washington is shifting to a more cost-effective model: instead of expensive airlifts, the U.S. will rely on long-term contracts signed under Biden to ship weapons and equipment by sea and then by rail. These so-called «long chains» are much cheaper. Meanwhile, Europe is expected to take over urgent deliveries. The Old Continent is now not only a donor, but also an operator of what used to be the Pentagon’s sole domain. Can it handle the responsibility?
From Moscow’s perspective, the new logistical approach will spread supply flows across Central and Eastern Europe instead of concentrating them in one place, making it harder to track and assess the scale of the aid.
Some U.S. equipment will remain in Rzeszów, according to Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. He also revealed that Warsaw had refrained from publicly announcing the troop withdrawal at Washington’s request.
«We couldn’t say anything — they insisted on it», Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed.
He denied that the US move was spontaneous. At the NATO summit in Washington on July 11, the allies agreed to establish a NATO security and training mission for Ukraine. This mission was to coordinate supplies, and the transfer of logistical control to NATO began in August 2024.
But the reality is more complicated. The Pentagon is considering withdrawing up to 10,000 troops deployed to countries bordering Ukraine under the previous administration in 2022. This would mean bringing nearly half of the American contingent back to the U.S., although the proposal is still under discussion.
For Poland’s political elite, it is crucial to present the U.S. departure as a planned redeployment — not a retreat. The reason is simple: Poland’s presidential election is scheduled for May 18. Foreign policy — especially ties with the U.S. and continued support for Kiev — and national security are key campaign issues.
Seventeen presidential candidates have filed, a record. Each must collect at least 100,000 signatures to qualify. Three front-runners have emerged. Leading the pack is Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, a member of the ruling Civic Platform party. His campaign has already collected one million signatures, and his support has risen 5.1 points to 38.3% in recent polls. His main rival, historian Karol Nawrocki, backed by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, now in opposition, has dropped 5.2 points to 20.1%. In third place is the far-right candidate Sławomir Mentzen with 18.8%.
The current president, Andrzej Duda, represents the PiS, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk has found it difficult to work with him. A potential Trzaskowski victory would strengthen Tusk’s ruling coalition, which has struggled to pass legislation due to opposition roadblocks. The Polish president has the power to veto legislation, appoint judges and shape foreign policy.
In particular, the PiS party may try to spin the U.S. withdrawal from Rzeszów as a failure of the current government’s transatlantic diplomacy. This would not be surprising.