Russia threatens response to permanent US base in Poland
Plans for a permanent US military base in Poland are placing European security before a more sensitive equation. Poland views the US presence as a security guarantee and a deterrent message, while Moscow warns of military consequences from US forces and missiles near its borders, particularly shorter missile flight times to the Russian capital.
Why it matters: The dispute over the base tests the limits of deterrence on NATO's eastern flank, a core issue in European security.