The Polish Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak paid a visit to the United States on July 17-18. On Tuesday, July 18, the head of the Ministry of National Defense visited the headquarters of the V Corps of the U.S. Army at Fort Knox, where he participated in the official handover of duties to Deputy Commander of the V Corps, General Maciej Jabłoński. General Jabłoński replaced Lieutenant General Adam Joks in this position, making him the second Polish officer to assume such an important and prestigious role.
Błaszczak also attended a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which was established to support Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression and providing the necessary military equipment donations. Several dozen countries participated in the meetings under the leadership of Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense.
“The purpose of my visit to the USA is to appreciate the American commitment to strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. The headquarters of the V Corps of the U.S. Army is located here in Fort Knox, and its forward element is permanently stationed in Poznań. It is from Poznań that American soldiers command the entire eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance. This presence is crucial, especially in the context of the situation on our eastern border. On the one hand, we are dealing with a Russian attack on Ukraine; there is a war going on there. On the other hand, we are aware of the threats from the territory of Belarus. Today, we know that Wagner mercenaries are in Belarus. The American presence is the best method of deterring the aggressor. I want to emphasize that above all, the Polish Armed Forces defend our Homeland. That is why I decided to move two battalion battle groups from the west to the east. These are the 12th and 17th Brigades, aimed at strengthening the border and supporting the Border Guard.”,
said the head of the Polish Ministry of Defense during the first day of his visit to the USA.
“We are proud that Lieutenant General Joks has served in the V Corps for the past two years as Deputy Commander. His experience will be utilized in Poland. The position will now be assumed by General Jabłoński.”,
the Minister of National Defense highlighted.
On Monday, at the Veterans Cemetery in Radcliff, Kentucky, the Minister laid flowers at the monument dedicated to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks and U.S. soldiers who died fighting terrorism. On that day, the Minister also met with the command of the V Corps of the U.S. Army.
“Here, in this cemetery, the soldiers of the V Corps who fell and gave their lives in the mission of fighting terrorists are buried. These are the people who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. We pay tribute to them, remembering that our soldiers also served side by side. We remember our allies. We pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in the name of our shared freedom. We hold such attitudes in high esteem. Polish and American soldiers stand guard over the security of both our nations.”,
emphasized Minister M. Błaszczak.