{"id":174018,"date":"2024-03-13T23:44:38","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T06:44:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=174018"},"modified":"2024-03-13T23:44:38","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T06:44:38","slug":"president-biden-president-andrzej-duda-and-prime-minister-donald-tusk-of-poland-before-bilateral-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=174018","title":{"rendered":"President Biden, President Andrzej Duda, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland Before Bilateral Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Well, gentlemen, welcome.  Great to have you back in Washington, and good seeing you all again.  And, Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, it\u2019s an honor to welcome you to a historic anniversary.  It\u2019s kind of interesting.  Twenty-five years ago today, on this very day, Poland joined NATO.  And some of you may remember, I was very involved in that happening.   <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3132024-113428-PM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"361\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-174019\" srcset=\"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3132024-113428-PM.jpg 640w, https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3132024-113428-PM-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3132024-113428-PM-123x70.jpg 123w, https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3132024-113428-PM-570x322.jpg 570w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2VqHw5kdXjY\" title=\"President Biden Holds a Bilateral Meeting with President Duda and Prime Minister Tusk of Poland\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>And I \u2014 during that ceremony, the former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, made this following statement \u2014 she said, \u201cWhen we stand together, no force on Earth is more powerful.\u201d  \u201cWhen we stand together, no force on Earth is more powerful.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>I believed that then, and I believe it now. And we see it in Polish American troops serving side by side in NATO and the eastern flank, including in Poland.  And we see it in our commitment to strengthen NATO\u2019s collective defenses.<\/p>\n<p>And I want to pause here and note that Poland is spending nearly 4 percent of its gross domestic product on defense \u2014 much of it purchasing American we- \u2014 American weapons systems and \u2014 and aircraft \u2014 and has doubled the NATO commitment: 4 percent.<\/p>\n<p>We also see it in our support for Ukraine in the force [face] of Putin\u2019s vicious onslaught against Ukraine in a way that is just border- \u2014 I won\u2019t even describe it. <\/p>\n<p>I want to thank you both for Poland\u2019s unwavering security and humanitarian assistance, including welcoming about 1 million Ukrainian refugees.  As my mother would say, \u201cGod love you.  You\u2019re doing God\u2019s work.\u201d  You really are.  It\u2019s incredible what you\u2019re doing \u2014 what the Polish people are doing.<\/p>\n<p>Today, the United States is announcing an emergency package for Ukraine using cost-savings from previously approved Pentagon contracts.  The package includes munitions and rounds to help Ukraine hold the line against Russia\u2019s brutal attacks for the ne- \u2014 next couple of weeks, which I have the authority to do be- \u2014 without an- \u2014 asking Congress for some more money right now.  But I\u2019ve asked them for a lot more money. <\/p>\n<p>And so, we\u2019re \u2014 but it\u2019s not nearly enough what we\u2019re \u2014 I\u2019m announcing today. <\/p>\n<p>Congress must pass the bipartisan national security bill now, which includes urgent funding for Ukraine.  We must act before it literally is too late \u2014 before it\u2019s too late.  Because as Poland remembers, Russia won\u2019t stop at Ukraine.  Putin will keep going, putting Europe, the United States, and the entire free world at risk, in my view. <\/p>\n<p>So, thank you both, again, for being here at this critical time.  And with that, Mr. President, I hand it over to you.  The floor is yours. <\/p>\n<p>PRESIDENT DUDA:  Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, exactly 25 years ago, on the 12th of March 1999, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary joined the strongest Alliance in the world.  The dream of many generations of Poles came true. <\/p>\n<p>There is no better place to celebrate this special anniversary than the White House.  Courageous decisions were made right here in the capital of the United States by both Democrats and Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>NATO expanded to the east.  Poland joined the free world, the West, where it has always belonged.  And for those courageous decisions and for their unwavering support, I would like to thank all the Americans who contributed to them. <\/p>\n<p>I express these thanks to you, Mr. President, bearing in mind that, at the time, you were one of the leaders of the support in the U.S. Senate for Poland\u2019s accession to NATO.  I thank you on behalf of millions of Poles. <\/p>\n<p>PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you, Mr. President.<\/p>\n<p>PRESIDENT DUDA:  During these 25 years, we have shown that we are a reliable and proven Ally, even when our soldiers fought side by side with American soldiers in Iraq and in Afghanistan. <\/p>\n<p>Poland knows, like a few other countries in the world, that security comes at the price.  That is why we spent more than 4 percent of our GDP on maintaining and modernizing our armed forces.  This is the highest percentage in the Alliance. <\/p>\n<p>Russia\u2019s aggression against Ukraine clearly demonstrated that the United States is and should remain the security leader.  But other Allies must take more responsibility for the security of the Alliance as a whole.  That is why I believe it\u2019s necessary for all NATO countries to increase their defense spending from 2 to 3 percent of GDP.  Two percent was good 10 years ago.  Now 3 percent is required in response to the full-scale war launched by Russia right beyond NATO\u2019s eastern border. <\/p>\n<p>We Poles believe in America.  We believe that Poland and Europe need more America \u2014 militarily, politically, and economically \u2014 more American spirit in thinking and acting. <\/p>\n<p>I have had the opportunity to discuss this point with Mr. President on many occasions, also when we received you twice in Poland.  A year ago, when we met in Warsaw, I announced that \u2014 that when Poland would chair the Council of European Union in the first half of 2025, our top priority would be to deepen cooperation between the United States and the EU. <\/p>\n<p>We are working consistently in this direction in Poland.  That is why we are buying the most advanced American weapons in the world: Abrams tanks, F-35 fighter jets, Apache helicopters, or HIMARS missile launchers. <\/p>\n<p>Close cooperation with the U.S. also applies to other important areas, such as energy.  Work is already well advanced on the construction of Poland\u2019s first nuclear power plant, which we are building with American companies. <\/p>\n<p>Tomorrow, in Georgia, I will have the opportunity to visit such a modern nuclear power plant.  We attach great importance to further American investments in Poland.  I hope that our joint visit with the Prime Minister will contribute to deepening bilateral economic relations.  We invite new American companies to come to Poland. <\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s visit sent an important message \u2014 one that confirms the strategic nature of Polish-American relations, which we want to develop further. <\/p>\n<p>PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you very much. <\/p>\n<p>Mr. Prime Minister. <\/p>\n<p>PRIME MINISTER TUSK:  Mr. President, I would like to thank you not only for inviting us for the anniversary of Poland\u2019s membership in NATO but, first of all, for the fact that you never forgot why NATO was established.  Because some did forget. <\/p>\n<p>So, let me recall the opening words of the Washington Treaty.  And I quote, \u201cThe parties to this treaty are determined to safeguard the freedom, common heritage, and civilization of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Thank you, Mr. President, for your permanent fight for those principles.  And we also remember, as the President said \u2014 remember also your engagement, your efforts 25 years ago.  You were then a senator in this \u2014 NATO\u2019s enlargement process.  Thank you. <\/p>\n<p>And, you know, I want you to know that your campaign four years ago was really inspirational for me and for so many Poles.  And we were encouraged \u2014 and you know for what \u2014 after your fight, after \u2014 after your victory.  Thank you for your determination.  It was something really important for \u2014 not only for the United States. <\/p>\n<p>Today, I would like to pass on to you, on behalf of Poles, just one message: Our country is now a stable democracy, predictable for our Allies, on which the security of the whole region hugely depends. <\/p>\n<p>When we Poles started on our road to the West, Pope John Paul II said, \u201cThere can be no just Europe without an independent Poland.\u201d  And today, I would say there can be no safe Europe without a strong Poland. <\/p>\n<p>And, of course, I would say also that \u2014 that there can be no just Europe without a free and independent Ukraine. <\/p>\n<p>We are here today with President Duda also to reaffirm that Poland is and will be a solid and lasting pillar of the transatlantic community, no matter who wins the elections in our country.  We treat our obligation seriously \u2014 more than anyone else in Europe. <\/p>\n<p>And we hope that none of our NATO partners will undermine the most important obligation of all, which is Article 5 of the treaty. <\/p>\n<p>There are still great challenges ahead of us.  So, let us stand firm, Mr. President, and always together.  Thank you. <\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Thank \u2014 thank you again.<\/p>\n<p>(Cross-talk.)<\/p>\n<p>Thank you, again, for being here.  And America\u2019s commitment to Poland is ironclad.  We mean what we say that, you know, an attack on \u2014 on a single inch of soil of a NATO partner is an attack on all of us.  And that\u2019s what keeps us all safe, in my view. <\/p>\n<p>And I look forward to our conversation and working together the years ahead.  And as Secretary Albright said, we stand together as Allies.  When we do that, no force on Earth is more powerful. <\/p>\n<p>So, thank you.  And we\u2019ll get down to business in a second here.  Thank you. <\/p>\n<p>3:54 P.M. EDT <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Well, gentlemen, welcome. Great to have you back in Washington, and good seeing you all again. And, Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, it\u2019s an honor to welcome you to a historic anniversary. It\u2019s kind of interesting. Twenty-five years ago today, on this very day, Poland joined NATO. And some of you may remember, I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":174019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-174018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3132024-113428-PM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=174018"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174018\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":174020,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174018\/revisions\/174020"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/174019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=174018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=174018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=174018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}