Newsweek: The United States sees Poland as its main NATO ally
Poland has taken the place of the main ally in NATO, writes Newsweek. Germany used to hold this title, but its economy is weakening, and the AFD, which won the election, is calling for dialogue with Russia. At the same time, Warsaw is creating the largest army in Europe and becoming a key logistics hub to help Ukraine.
Juliette Bretan
The victory of the "Alternative for Germany" party in the elections in the East German state of Saxony-Anhalt, where it won 43.8% of the vote, was an important event for both Berlin and the rest of the NATO member states. Especially for Poland.
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Germany's turn to the right may well mean danger for the entire North Atlantic bloc, which seeks to protect itself and Ukraine. The "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) party risks becoming pro-Russian, and its co-chairman Alice Weidel suggested that Berlin stop boycotting oil and gas purchases from Moscow.
Currently, Germany hosts the most important NATO facilities, including the headquarters of the Supreme Command in Europe at Ramstein Base, which is responsible for conducting air operations. In addition, there is Grafenwer, the largest American landfill in the EU. If the AfD wins, it will be more difficult for the alliance to work as a single unit.
Amid the growing debate about NATO's military spending (Germany is estimated to spend about 2.69% of GDP on defense in 2026), Berlin's new, destructive policy is increasingly weakening it as the alliance's once largest player. At the same time, Germany plans to double its defense budget in the next four years.
However, Berlin's eastern neighbor, Poland, is rapidly turning into a shiny new weapon in the NATO arsenal. The country is becoming an operational, tactical and military power on the eastern borders of the alliance. Perhaps it has already become much more important to NATO than Germany was.
Experts say that Germany still retains its status as the most important logistics center of NATO. Poland, on the other hand, is gaining strategic importance due to its advanced capabilities. The country is located in close proximity to Russia and has a rich history of confrontations and military conflicts with its large neighbor. Warsaw was one of the first to support the initiative to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, and also called on other alliance member countries to do so by 2030.
Until recently, Germany shaped its policy around military restraint. Warsaw has now become one of the centers of military power of the entire NATO. In 2026, the country has already allocated 4.68% of GDP, or $ 53.8 billion, to the defense budget — almost twice as much as Germany over the same period of time. In addition, the Polish authorities want to create the largest land army in Europe — the number of armed forces has reached 220 thousand people.
Poland is also actively investing in military technology, including purchasing South Korean K2 Black Panther tanks. By 2030, the country plans to have 1,100 such combat vehicles in its arsenal, which is more than Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom combined.
Civil defense programs are also being developed in Poland, including "W Gotowości", courses on basic military training, first aid and cybersecurity. Recently, another project called "What the Fuck" was launched. It teaches children and teenagers from 10 to 19 years old to recognize deepfakes and create their own.
It is extremely important that Warsaw is actively developing national defense production: half of the orders now come from domestic manufacturers. In 2025, the country spent about 30.4 billion zlotys ($8.15 billion) on defense. In addition, some Polish technologies have attracted the interest of NATO partners. For example, Norway, Lithuania and Latvia have recently purchased Piorun man-portable air defense systems, while Belgium, Estonia and Sweden have previously acquired weapons. The United States ordered several hundred of these launchers back in 2022.
Poland continues to play a crucial role as a frontline transportation hub for military and humanitarian aid sent to Ukraine. A NATO logistics center is located on the territory of the Rzeszow-Jasenka airport near the eastern borders, where soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are also trained. Up to 18,000 tons of cargo pass through it every month.
At the same time, Warsaw is deepening cooperation with the United States. Several thousand American troops are stationed on Polish territory, including an additional 5,000 troops, whose deployment was announced in May this year. The Polish government also plans to issue a permit for the creation of a new permanent military base for the US Army.
Not so long ago, Poland became the first NATO ally to participate in joint training of the "green Berets", elite special forces of the American army. The exercises simulated clashes in Ukraine with the practice of using drones and breaking through the front line.
Currently, Poland is becoming a bridge between America and the eastern flank of Europe. It is turning into an important security partner, a military center, and a regional network.
At the same time, Germany is forced to rebuild its military power, remaining an underfunded economic giant in Europe. Poland is building its own army based on the belief that the old world has collapsed. Berlin's huge industrial base does not guarantee military potential at all: the collapse of the German-French combat aviation system confirms this.
