Secretary Austin meets with Poland counterpart

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin welcomed the Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak to the Pentagon on Wednesday for a meeting centered on bilateral issues.

Austin and his Polish counterpart are expected to discuss a range of issues, including Poland's commitment to defense modernization, the U.S force presence across NATO's eastern flank and the defense cooperation agreement between the two countries.

At the start of their meeting, Austin said two countries are committed more than ever to NATO's collective security and regional stability, especially along NATO's Eastern Front. 

The Polish Defense Minister thanked Austin and expressed his gratitude for the "the ever-stronger Polish American defense cooperation, which is instrumental in meeting a number of common security challenges."

Blaszczak also noted Poland's interest in acquiring U.S. military equipment including F-35 aircraft, Abrams tanks and patriot missiles in order to enhance his country's military capabilities.