The development comes a week after US President Donald Trump announced that the Pentagon had cancelled a previously planned deployment of 4,000 troops in Poland.
Speaking ahead of a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Sweden, Mark Rutte said Europe’s dependence on the United States was gradually decreasing, although security cooperation would continue.
President Donald Trump said on the Truth Social platform that the decision was taken in the context of his close relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, whom he supported in a previous presidential election.
He did not clarify whether the move was a new deployment or a reinstatement of the earlier cancelled plan.
The White House has recently indicated that, under the “America First” policy, the US may reduce its military presence in Europe.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Trump was disappointed with NATO allies’ conduct and had concerns about America’s global role, particularly in the Middle East.
Speaking at a meeting in Helsingborg, Marco Rubio said NATO countries must increase defence spending and take on a greater share of responsibilities.
He added that the US regularly reviews its military deployments in line with its global commitments and that this should not be seen as a punitive measure.
Earlier, the United States had also announced the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany, a move linked in some reports to differences between President Trump and German leadership over Iran.
It remains unclear whether the newly announced troops for Poland are part of that broader restructuring or a separate decision.
Poland, a key NATO member, holds a strategically important position due to its proximity to Russia, making it central to Europe’s defence strategy.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki, considered a close ally of President Donald Trump, has previously said that Trump is the global leader most capable of helping end the Russia-Ukraine war.
The mixed signals regarding US troop presence in Europe have raised concerns among NATO allies, while some US lawmakers have warned that any major withdrawal could send the wrong message to Russia.
At present, Germany hosts the largest US military presence in Europe with over 36,000 troops, while Italy and the United Kingdom also host thousands of American personnel.
