President Biden to Host Polish President, Prime Minister on March 12 NATO Anniversary

U.S. President Joe Biden will host Poland’s President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk for a meeting in Washington on March 12, the 25th anniversary of Poland’s joining the NATO Alliance, the White House said Thursday.

A statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders will “reaffirm their unwavering support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s brutal war of conquest.”

The struggle is taking place across Poland’s eastern border, on NATO’s eastern flank.

The declaration of support has special significant now, when political infighting in U.S. Congress is stalling approval of a $60 billion aid package for Kyiv.

The meeting will underscore that Washington and Warsaw share an “ironclad commitment to the NATO Alliance, which makes us all safer,” the statement said, adding that the three leaders will “coordinate” ahead of the NATO Summit in Washington in July.

Poland last year spent some 4% of its GDP on defense and has earmarked some 3.1% of its 2024 GDP for the purpose.

The U.S.-Polish strategic energy security partnership, economic ties and “shared commitment to democratic values” will also be a theme of discussions.

In Poland, the joint trip of the two top figures will have additional significance, because the two men come from opposite sides of the country’s political divide.

Tusk and his liberal Cabinet took office in December and have been energetically reversing policies of their right-wing predecessors, who they have accused of violating the rule of law and democratic principles.

Duda hails from the right-wing party that ruled until December, and he has accused Tusk’s government of violating Poland’s constitution and using authoritarian methods.

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