- Title: U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin visits troops in Poland
- Date: 18th February 2022
- Summary: POWIDZ, POLAND (FEBRUARY 18, 2022) (REUTERS) U.S. DEFENCE SECRETARY'S PLANE ON TARMAC U.S. AND POLISH MILITARY PERSONNEL WAITING, STANDING IN FRONT OF TANKS VARIOUS OF U.S. DEFENCE SECRETARY, LLOYD AUSTIN, AND POLAND'S MINISTER OF DEFENCE, MARIUSZ BLASZCZAK, ARRIVING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH MILITARY PERSONNEL / TALKING WITH PERSONNEL POLISH AND U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL STAND
- Embargoed: 4th March 2022 16:45
- Keywords: NATO Poland Powidz. Ukraine Russia U.S. Army U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin
- Location: POWIDZ, POLAND
- City: POWIDZ, POLAND
- Country: Poland
- Topics: Europe,NATO,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001FZ7CS3R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, visited U.S. and Polish troops on Friday (February 18), alongside Poland's Minister of Defence, Mariusz Blaszczak.
He met with military personnel staying at Polish Air Force's Powidz air base.
Austin announced on Friday the planned sale of 250 Abrams tanks to Poland, as Washington moves to strengthen the defences of a key eastern European ally amid a mounting threat of war between neighbouring Ukraine and Russia.
The sale of Abrams tanks to Poland, which is also home to a future U.S. missile defense site, is another sign of a deep and growing defense relationship with the United States.
It follows the deployment of nearly 5,000 additional U.S. troops to Poland as well as additional fighter aircraft, as part of Washington's response to the Ukraine crisis.
U.S. President Joe Biden will deliver public remarks on Friday to give an update on U.S. diplomatic efforts to prevent what it calls an increasingly likely Russian invasion of Ukraine amid shelling and an evacuation in eastern Ukraine.
Biden will speak at 4 p.m. (2100 GMT) following a call with the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Britain, the European Union and NATO on Friday, the White House said.
(Production Kuba Stezycki, Hedy Beloucif) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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