On Monday afternoon, President Andrzej Duda arrived at the Amari air base in Estonia for a Christmas Eve gathering with Polish pilots stationed there. The central purpose of the visit was a face-to-face meeting with Estonia’s President Alar Karis.
During a single-day stop in Estonia, the president met with members of the Polish Military Contingent Orlik, who have been deployed in the country since early December.
PKW Orlik represents Poland’s contribution to the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission. Since 2005, Polish pilots, alongside contingents from allied nations, have helped patrol and defend the Baltic airspace, where these states lack their own combat aviation capability.
The President’s wishes
The President extended heartfelt greetings to all soldiers and officers in service, including those stationed abroad. He stressed that serving far from home is exceptionally demanding because families are separated.
He asked for special expressions of respect, thanks, and peaceful Christmas wishes for those who, despite distance and various threats, bring peace to the hearts and minds of others.
He also conveyed his best wishes to the families of the soldiers.
Poland hopes that servicemen and women will return home safely not only through these contingents and remote duties but through every day of service during this holiday season and into the upcoming year.
He added that the service is especially meaningful at a time when the war continues on the eastern border.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the President expressed a commitment to support the interests of Polish soldiers and their loved ones throughout his presidential tenure as civilian commander of the armed forces. He wished everyone well.
Orlik’s soldiers
From early December through March 2024, a twelfth rotation of Orlik will be stationed at the Amari base, comprising about 150 personnel with four F-16 fighters. In addition to Polish pilots, American and Spanish troops are participating in the mission.
The President had planned to visit the Orlik contingent from the previous deployment in the spring, but weather conditions led to a cancellation. Today’s visit marks his tenth stop among these contingents, following trips to Kuwait (2017), Afghanistan (2018), Bosnia and Herzegovina (2019), Romania (2018 and 2021), and Latvia (2018 and 2022). In addition to Orlik soldiers, a delegation from the Estonia-based contingent, where a Polish armored company is part of a NATO battalion battle group, attended the meeting.
The President was accompanied by his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda, Chief of the General Staff General Wiesław Kukuła, and Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Bejda.
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Mon/PAP/X
Note: this report reflects ongoing events and official statements as reported by Polish outlets and government sources.