Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland Szymon Hołownia, Chairman of the Sejm Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, Chairman of the Senate Radosław Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs Marek Magierowski, Polish Ambassador to the United States

Declaration of the Polish-American Organization

On behalf of the Polish community, we welcome the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda and his accompanying Prime Minister Donald Tusk to Washington for a meeting with President Biden on March 12, 2024. We are convinced that this visit will confirm Poland’s fundamental role as an important member of the North Atlantic Alliance and contribute to strengthening security in Europe. Extension i Deepening the Polish-American alliance is in the strategic interest of both countries and cannot be the subject of political struggle on either side of the Atlantic. We appreciate the United States’ commitment to protect NATO’s eastern flank and count on an increased American military presence in Poland and the entire Central and Eastern European region. We would like to emphasize that Poland’s continued economic growth and equipping the Polish military with advanced technologies are a key factor in strengthening NATO’s defense capabilities. For Polish Americans, the security of our ancestral homeland is the top priority.

A few days ago, on February 24, we celebrated the second anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. This aggression is a continuation of Russia’s imperial expansion, which began in the 1990s with the war in Chechnya, then continued in 2008 with the attack on Georgia and in 2014 with the occupation of Crimea. These wars ended without consequences Russia’s imperial aggression and the crimes committed as a result. This should be another lesson to the world that the policy of appeasement with the aggressor does not lead to peace and security. For Russia, this state of affairs is a confirmation that aggression does not entail consequences, and, as a result, an incentive to pursue more far-reaching aggression plans. If Russia’s policy of aggression in Ukraine is not stopped, we fear that the next targets will be the Baltic states and Poland.

The Polish-American community is deeply convinced that the NATO alliance is and must remain the basis of transatlantic security. We support a Europe that is free and safe from Russia’s aggressive plans. We also support a free and secure Ukraine within internationally recognized borders. We hope for a future free and democratic Russia.

We would like to emphasize this emphatically The Kremlin’s aggression will not stop in Ukraine. History has shown that unchecked aggression by tyrants leads to further aggression by tyrants. We call on President Biden, President Duda and Prime Minister Tusk to reflect on how we can more effectively support Ukraine and put an end to the Kremlin’s aggression. There are issues that need improvement in Poland-Ukraine relations, such as the issue of agricultural policy, which needs to be resolved given Poland’s extraordinary commitment to supporting Ukraine during this war. The enormous assistance that Poland has provided to Ukraine, both military and humanitarian, such as welcoming millions of Ukrainian refugees into our homes, is something the Polish community is deeply proud of. We believe that this assistance should be more appreciated by President Biden’s administration.

The Polish-American community expresses its willingness to support and assist President Duda and Prime Minister Tusk in joint activities to strengthen Polish defense capabilities and deepen the Polish-American alliance. We remain firmly opposed to any form of concessions to the aggressor. History shows that freedom is not given forever; its price is an attitude of vigilance and the belief that freedom is not free.

READ: ONLY WITH US. President Duda goes to Washington. Head of BPM: Such monumental visits are prepared until the last moment