As you mentioned, sir, there will be more American troops in Poland. This is going to be an enhanced cooperation. It's going to be an enduring presence, which hopefully will increase gradually in terms of the number of troops, but also in terms of infrastructure which is very important.
Thank you also for the decision to establish the division headquarters in Poland. This is of huge importance not only to Poland, but also to our part of Europe, to Central Europe, to the Baltic States, and to all those to whom the enhanced forward presence was established, of the United States and other NATO states, along NATO's eastern flank. I'm deeply grateful for that.
But thank you, Mr. President, also for the remaining agreements. Thank you for this agreement which talks about preventing and combatting serious crimes. It moves us closer to visa waiver program between Poland and the United States - which to you, Mr. President, and to me, and, first and foremost to Poles, is so important - is of such a crucial importance.
Thank you, Mr. President, also for excellent energy cooperation that we have in terms of LNG supplies. We talked about this in 2017, in Warsaw, during our meeting, that gas from the United States should be delivered to Poland. And it is delivered. And we are signing more contracts. And gas tankers from the United States are coming to the Port of Świnoujście today. And the gas from the United States has become a fact in Poland and in our part of Europe.
Thank you, Mr. President, that there are going to be more supplies. I'm very happy about that, because to us, it means diversification of sources of supplies. It also means the development of gas security. To us, it also means good business, just as I do really believe is a good business for the United States of America. But thank you also for the agreement cooperation in terms of nuclear energy used for civil purposes.
I hope that, together, we will be able to implement this program with the benefit for environment protection with the benefit for (inaudible) protection across the globe, and also for the development of the security of my homeland.
Mr. President, I am deeply grateful for this visit. I'm pleased that, thanks to this presence, we're able to show the very good cooperation that we have between Poland as part of the European Union and the United States.
And I firmly believe that thanks to your incredible view of the European matters, and thanks to your understanding to our Polish matters and to the meanders of our history, this cooperation is going to develop better and better, first and foremost also with the benefit for the United States whose interests you are representing, Mr. President, and also understanding the rest of the world.
Thank you very much for that. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. Thank you very much. We'll take a few questions. Emerald? OAN.
Q Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you.
Q Earlier in the Oval Office, before you did your meeting with President Duda, you were quite critical of Germany, as you talked about possibly moving troops from Germany to Poland. Do you think that doing a move like that will put pressure on Germany to meet their defense spending requirements?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: No, I don't think so. I just will tell you very strongly that I think Germany is making a tremendous mistake by relying so heavily on the pipeline. And I think it's a tremendous mistake for Germany. But again, Germany is running their affairs. And they'll do just fine.
But I was critical. I had been critical of it. It's a tremendous amount of their energy will be supplied by that pipeline.
At the same time, having nothing to do with Germany, Poland said that we would like to build a facility, a great facility, and we'd like to have you come to that facility. So we're going to be there with a limited force, but we'll be there. And we appreciate Poland doing what they're doing. It's a great location. It's a tremendous - it's a tremendous plant, tremendous facility. And it's our honor to be there.
Poland has been a tremendous friend of ours for a long time. And when Melania and I were there not so long ago, it was a very special day. I think it was a special day for Poland, also. But it was a very special day for our country. So I appreciate that. And our relationship is just a very strong one.
Q And, if I may, would you indulge me with one more question before I get -
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yeah, go ahead.
Q - to ask President Duda a question? In more recent news, yesterday you revealed you got another letter from Kim Jong Un. And today we hear of the potential thawing of relations between South Korea and North Korea as Kim Jong Un is sending his sister to South Korea. Now, could you give us an update on more of what was in that letter? And is there a third summit in the works?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: He just wrote me a very nice letter, unexpected. And someday you'll see what was in that letter. Someday you'll be reading about it. Maybe in 100 years from now, maybe in two weeks. Who knows? But it was a very nice letter. It was a very warm, very nice letter. I appreciated it. Okay?
Q Thank you.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Good. Thank you very much.
Q And then, if I may, for President Duda?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Please.
Q You said you were thankful for the commitment that the President made for more troops today, but you hinted that you would like to see more. Ultimately, what is the number of troops that you'd like to see in Poland? U.S. troops.
PRESIDENT DUDA: (As interpreted.) Madam, this, of course, is always going to be the decision of the United States of America.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: He'd like to see 250,000 troops. (Laughter.) We'll keep it (inaudible).
PRESIDENT DUDA: (As interpreted.) It's always going to be up to the United States to decide how many troops there will be sent to Pol - to which Allied nation.
Of course, I know that this depends on the needs and on the real situation on the ground. Of course, I know that this depends on the needs and on the real situation on the ground. Of course, we are very pleased that the U.S. troops are present by giving an evidence to the sustainability and strength of the Alliance. And the U.S. soldiers are kindly treated in Poland. They are received as friends.
And we are happy that they are serving in our country. We would like those bonds between Poland and the United States to become even tighter. And we are trying, also, to create the best possible conditions for American soldiers.
Q Thank you very much, President Trump. Thank you very much, President Duda. I have questions to both of you actually.
President Trump, you plan to enhance U.S. military presence in Poland. Last year, you promised you would enhance our military cooperation, training, intelligence, missile defense, and it's happening right now. People of Poland still remember your incredible speech in Warsaw. Why Poland is such an important ally for you?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I just have a very warm feeling for Poland. I always have. And it's now even beyond that because of the relationship, which we've developed with your President and First Lady. And it's just - they're very - they're incredible people. Hard working, smart, very industrious people. And what they've done with the country over the last five years has been something that the world has watched and the world has marveled at.
I've just liked Poland. So when the President came and he asked me whether or not we'd consider this, I said,
"I will consider it." And now, because of his leadership, we're able to do that. And that's fine with me. That's great. Great people. And say
"hello."
Q So I understand we can - we'll see you in September, in Warsaw, correct?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We are looking very seriously at going back to Poland. And I don't know what the President has in store for us, but we're thinking about going back sometime in September. Yes. Thank you.
Q Amazing. Thank you. Thank you very much.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you.
Q (As interpreted.) A question to President Duda. Mr. President, so far, we have been talking about a rotational presence of U.S. troops in our country. Right now, we are talking about permanent or enduring presence. What does that mean in concrete terms? And when can we expect those additional U.S. troops to arrive?
PRESIDENT DUDA: (As interpreted.) I understand it in the follow way: President Donald Trump and myself are implementing a very calm but consistent policy in terms of security. The presence of the United States in Poland - the military presence - the presence of U.S. troops, which today is about 4,500 troops present on a permanent basis. In other words, it is a rotational presence but it is back-to-back presence. So there is no moment where there are no American troops in the territory of Poland.
And today, we signed a document and further cooperation: a Joint Declaration on Defense Cooperation Regarding the United States Force Posture in the Republic of Poland.
