Tusk: America has no better ally than Poland

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday that transatlantic unity must survive the current difficult period, stressing the importance of Warsaw's ties with Washington after the Pentagon canceled plans to deploy 4.000 US troops to Poland.

Poland has long viewed its ties with the United States as a cornerstone of its security, in light of what it describes as an increasingly aggressive Russian posture. The government has publicly sought to reassure citizens that the canceled deployment does not mean the alliance is in danger.

"The task of all of us here in Poland, in Europe, across the Atlantic, in the US, in Canada, is to ensure that transatlantic cooperation, regardless of various political changing circumstances, survives this difficult period," Tusk said at a press conference.

Poland highlights its role as a model ally and is the largest defense spender in NATO relative to the size of its economy. Warsaw plans to allocate 4,8 percent of its gross domestic product to defense by 2026.

Tusk was speaking at the signing of an agreement with the US company Honeywell to establish a service center for Abrams tank engines, a deal he said demonstrates the value of the transatlantic alliance.

"You have a friend here... you have the most loyal ally," Tusk said, addressing the US. "It is worth remembering that, because America will not find a better ally anywhere."

The Polish public's trust in the alliance with the US has declined since Donald Trump came to power. A survey by SW Research for the daily "Żeczpospolita" in January found that 53 percent of Poles do not believe the US is a reliable ally.

In April, Tusk told the Financial Times that Europe's "biggest, most important question" was whether the United States was ready to be a loyal partner to NATO in the event of a Russian attack.

Allies of Polish nationalist President Karol Nawrocki, who is supported by Trump, criticized the comments, saying it was dangerous to question the US commitment to Poland's security.

In September, Trump said the US could increase its troop presence in Poland.