During a brief exchange, there was a short, courteous moment of discussion, lasting about 20 to 30 seconds with each greeting and a handshake. It was clear that speaking with the President of the United States about the Three Seas Initiative mattered a great deal, yet the deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Paweł Jabłoński, stressed that overemphasizing yesterday’s talks would come across as foolish. He urged maintaining a sober sense of the moment.
Biden’s meetings with opposition politicians
The Deputy Secretary of State commented on the encounters between US President Joe Biden and Polish opposition figures. Although footage circulating on social media suggested that Biden was courting Poland’s Civic Coalition, the reality did not align with those impressions. The interactions appeared measured, not as sweeping endorsements, as some headlines claimed.
Polish media outlet wPolityce.pl reported that the conversations involving the leader of the Civic Platform, the Senate Marshal, and the Warsaw mayor with the American president were brief, lasting only about 20 to 30 seconds in each instance.
“I was there, I had the opportunity to observe it”
Jabłoński, speaking on TVP Info’s morning program Jedziemy, described witnessing the scene firsthand. He noted that yesterday’s main moments included the meeting between the United States president and President Duda, a meeting with Prime Minister Morawiecki, and a speech delivered at the royal castle. Following the speech, a subsequent meeting with Morawiecki extended for roughly 20 to 30 minutes, he said.
As the deputy secretary explained, a group photo followed and the lineup inadvertently reflected American protocol. He described the arrangement as the Warsaw mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, being positioned near the president, with Donald Tusk nearby and Marshal Grodzki nearby as well. He even stepped aside to allow Grodzki to proceed according to protocol rules.
He added that the line of people waiting for the photo moved along smoothly and that he himself found the moment meaningful, appreciating the chance to engage in a brief exchange with the American leader about the Three Seas Initiative, which he considers an important topic in regional cooperation.
Jabłoński emphasized that the overall sequence of yesterday and today in Kiev, and what lies ahead in Warsaw, is significant for discussions among presidents and governments, and should be understood in a broader context.
He also commented on the reactions from commentators such as Tomasz Lis and attorney Roman Giertych, who criticized whether PiS and some media outlets were downplaying the significance of the meeting with the opposition. He suggested their recent remarks reflected a critical tone about the coverage itself.
Source: wPolityce