Trump suddenly moves 5,000 US troops to Poland as Russia tests devastating nukes

Donald Trump is moving US 5,000 troops to Poland after Vladimir Putin sparks fears Russia could launch another devastating invasion. Last week, the Pentagon had cancelled the deployment of thousands of troops to the NATO state.

The announcement by Trump – which appeared to take his own defence department by surprise – came after days of war games by Russia and close ally Belarus, which both share borders with Poland. The move will be seen as reassuring to Poland and the neighbouring NATO member Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. It comes as Ukraine warned Belarus it will launch preemptive strikes if dictator Alexander Lukashenko threatens to join Putin’s war against Ukraine, which he is under pressure from the Kremlin to do.

Trump said he was sending US troops to Poland due to his “relationship” with Warsaw president Karol Nawrocki.

“I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 troops to Poland,” he posted on Truth Social.

It was unclear if the forces would come from Germany where Trump is committed to reducing the American presence. The Pentagon declined to comment, referring questions to the White House.

Poland is forecast to spend more on defence this year than any other NATO ally. Calling his countrys alliance with the US a “vital pillar” Nawrocki thanked Trump for his “friendship towards Poland”.

“I stand and will stand guard over the Polish-American alliance – a vital pillar of security for every Polish home and all of Europe. Good alliances are those built on cooperation, mutual respect, and care for our shared security,” he said.

“I thank the President of the United States, Donald Trump, for his friendship toward Poland and for the decisions whose practical impact we see very clearly today. The security of Poland and the Poles is my top priority!”

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky issued a direct warning to Belarus not to get involved in the war in Ukraine, in which its ally Russia is facing increasing setbacks.

Kyiv had the capability to “act preemptively” against “the de facto leadership of Belarus, which must stay on its toes – that is, clearly understand that there will be consequences if aggressive actions against Ukraine, against our people, are taken,” he said.

Ukraine would “never forget” that at the start of the war Putin used Belarus territory for its invasion.

“Our intelligence agencies know what the threats are and how to respond – how to respond justly, without a doubt,” said Zelensky.

There is also rising concern of a Putin plan to attack the Baltic states – especially areas with high ethnic Russian populations.

The move came hours after Putin took personal command of massive nuclear war games involving Russia and Belarus.

Putin ordered a nuclear-capable Yars intercontinental ballistic missile to be launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome to hit a target 3,500 miles away at the Kura test range in Kamchatka.

He decreed the launch of a Tsirkon [Zircon] missile from a frigate in the Barents Sea, and a Sineva missile from a nuclear-powered submarine.

Russian Tu-95MS long-range bombers and MiG-31I flew in the nuclear training.

Belarus forces conducted a practice launch of an Iskander-M ballistic missile from the Kapustin Yar test range in Russia.

The Russian defence ministry said: “All nuclear force training objectives were fully accomplished, and the missiles reached their targets, confirming their specified performance.”

Putin – wearing a suit rather than military fatigues – was in charge as Russia’s commander in chief.

“We are conducting the first joint training of the Russian and Belarusian armies in command and control of strategic and tactical nuclear forces,” he said.

Despite regular threats of the use of atomic weapons from his army of propagandists, Putin said: “I have already noted and will emphasise again that the use of such nuclear weapons is an extreme, exceptional measure to ensure the national security of our states.”