"Then Why Are You in NATO?" Trump Pledges 5,000 Troops to Poland in Apparent U-Turn as Rubio Slams Allies Over Iran War — Ukraine Claims 'Long-Range Plan Is Being Carried Out in Full'

22 May 2026 | Washington & Kyiv — Updated 20:30 GMT

WASHINGTON/KYIV – Donald Trump has announced he will deploy an additional 5,000 US troops to Poland, marking a rare U-turn just days after the Pentagon controversially halted a long-planned rotation of forces to the largest military ally on NATO's eastern flank.

The announcement came hours before Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed for a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Sweden, where he is expected to confront European allies over their refusal to allow the US to use bases on their territory for the Iran war — with Trump "very disappointed" in alliance members, singling out Spain in particular.

"Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland," Trump said on Truth Social.

"Then Why Are You in NATO?" Rubio's Blunt Message to Allies

Before leaving for the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Sweden, Rubio on Thursday said Trump was "very disappointed" in alliance members who had not allowed the US to use bases on their territory for the Iran war, singling out Spain in particular.

"You have countries like Spain denying us the use of these bases – well then why are you in NATO? That's a very fair question," Rubio told reporters in Miami. "In fairness, other countries in NATO have been very helpful. But we need to discuss that."

Trump has fiercely criticised NATO members for not doing more to help the US-Israeli military campaign. He has said he is considering withdrawing from the alliance and questioned whether Washington was bound to honour its mutual defence pact.

NATO officials have stressed the US did not ask the 32-member alliance to take part in the Iran war, but many members have honoured commitments to allow US forces to use their airspace and bases on their territory. European concerns about Trump's attitude toward NATO were also exacerbated this year by Trump's push to acquire Greenland, a territory of fellow NATO member Denmark.

Troop U-Turn: From Delay to Deployment

The announcement seems to mark a rare reversal after the Pentagon said earlier this week it would delay a rotation of 4,000 US troops from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division to Poland as part of a broader review of the US force posture in Europe.

Trump's vice-president, JD Vance, defended the original decision as recently as Wednesday, telling a Polish reporter that the US wanted Europe to take more responsibility for its defence and security, adding "Poland is capable of defending itself with a lot of support from the United States." He criticised the media for "overreacting" over what he said was "a very minor thing" and "a standard delay."

But the original decision — which appeared to catch Warsaw by surprise — prompted anxious reactions from top Polish leaders worried about Russia's assertive stance in the region amid the continuing war in Ukraine, and drew criticism in the US Congress.

It was not immediately clear whether the new deployment would be rotational or permanent, or if there was any link to Trump's previous decision to pull 5,000 troops out from Germany. There are currently about 10,000 US troops in Poland.

Donald Trump has said the US will send an 'additional' 5,000 troops to Poland. NATO is stronger.

Poland's Gratitude: 'A Vital Pillar of Security'

Over the years, Poland has sought to position itself as a top US ally in Europe, with its troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the country leading defence spending charts among NATO's European members.

Despite the announcement being made late in the evening in Europe, Polish President Karol Nawrocki immediately thanked Trump "for his friendship towards Poland … the practical dimension of which we see very clearly today."

"I stand and will continue to stand guard over the Polish-American alliance – a vital pillar of security for every Polish home and for all of Europe," Nawrocki said.

Poland's defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, also said Trump's decision "confirms the Polish-American relations are very strong, and that Poland is a model and ironclad ally." Earlier this week, Kosiniak-Kamysz had sought urgent talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to get clarity on the original decision, telling reporters that he hoped "all misunderstandings, or media noise, will be explained in the coming days."

Announcing the additional troops, Trump pointedly praised his relationship with Nawrocki, who unexpectedly won last year's presidential election after being hosted by Trump at the White House in the final weeks of the campaign. The pair has had a close relationship ever since, with Trump regularly referencing the importance of his endorsement for Nawrocki's election.

Ukraine's Long-Range Campaign: 'All Going to Plan'

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Ukrainian drones hit the Syzran oil refinery more than 800km (500 miles) inside Russia, setting it on fire, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday. The Ukrainian president posted a video of the aftermath. Russia's independent Astra news outlet said Ukrainian drones struck the Syzran refinery owned by oil and gas company Rosneft.

The governor of Russia's Samara region, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, said two people were killed by Ukrainian drones in Syzran, but he did not mention the refinery. Ukrainian drones hit another refinery the previous day, Zelenskyy said.

"Overall, our long-range plan for May is being carried out largely in full. The key targets are Russian oil refineries, storage facilities and other infrastructure tied to these oil revenues," Zelenskyy said.

The escalating attacks have hurt Moscow's revenue at the same time as the economic pinch of international sanctions. With some attacks reaching more than 1,500km (900 miles) into Russia, the strikes have contributed to some Russians feeling unsafe and heaped pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Images posted by Volodymyr Zelenskyy said to show a fire at Russia's Syzran oil refinery after a Ukrainian drone strike.

Ukraine Regaining Initiative, Says ISW

Ukrainian forces have pushed back Russian troops along parts of the frontline, making their most significant battlefield gains since 2024, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Ukraine's "intensified midrange strike campaign" since early 2026 "has also degraded Russian forces' ability to conduct offensive operations across the theatre and has also likely supported recent Ukrainian advances," the US thinktank said in an assessment on Wednesday.

Ukraine has slowed Russia's battlefield advance and is gradually regaining the initiative along the frontline, said Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, partly due to Russian forces being denied access to Starlink satellite services to steer drones towards targets. "Russia has since not been able to find a full replacement [for Starlink], giving Ukraine a critical battlefield advantage."

Russia's Nuclear Drills and EU's Legal Moves

Russia and neighbouring Belarus held the final stage of their joint nuclear drills. Russia's defence ministry said on Thursday that its forces launched a Yars ballistic missile and a Zircon hypersonic missile as part of missile tests. As part of the exercises, trucks carrying intercontinental ballistic missiles rumbled over forest roads, atomic-powered submarines set sail from Arctic and Pacific ports, and crews scrambled into warplanes.

In a significant legal development, the EU's court of justice ruled on Thursday that the bloc can freeze assets linked to sanctioned Russians even if those assets are held by a trust and there is no direct legal link to the persons involved. The court said assets can also be frozen if they are only indirectly linked to the person on the sanctions list. The ruling related to the seizure by Italian authorities of companies and a yacht held through complex ownership structures by trusts.

Germany's Merz Proposes EU 'Associate Membership' for Ukraine

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants the EU to consider "associate membership" for Ukraine and revive talks aimed at ending the war, according to a letter he wrote to top EU officials that was seen by the Associated Press. Under Merz's proposals, Ukraine would take part in EU meetings, but without voting rights, and would also have non-voting "associate members" of the bloc's powerful executive branch, the European Commission, and the European Parliament.

On Wednesday, Zelenskyy welcomed signs of possible progress in the membership negotiations, saying in an address that it was "very important for us. Ukraine has fulfilled everything necessary for this progress." On the war, Merz wrote that his proposal "will help facilitate the ongoing peace talks as part of a negotiated peace solution. This is essential not only for Ukraine's but for the entire continent's security."

Former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid offered a clear take on the EU membership question: "Question is: Ukraine is a military power with huge military production capability. Whose hands must it be in? In Russian hands [or] western hands? End of story. This is our question. This is our objective. Have Ukrainians with us, because imagine they started, like in Soviet Union times, to build all these things for Russia, not for us. And that gives you your answer. It's very simple."

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