Andrzej Duda in a gathering with the diplomatic corps. He talked about Ukraine, army spending, NATO and the meals disaster

Addressing the diplomatic corps, President Andrzej Duda mentioned that we’ve change into contributors within the historical past that may decide the form of Europe, the West and your entire globe. He centered on investing within the army and nations that don’t spend a lot on protection. “With NATO and the EU going through a full-scale warfare on its jap border, this short-sighted coverage wants to vary shortly,” he mentioned. In response to him, such financial savings are made on the expense of “Lithuanians, Poles, Latvians, Estonians or Romanians”.

President on the Presidential Palace on Thursday Andrzej Duda and the First Woman Agatha Kornhauser-Tuda He met the accredited consular officers in Poland. The President recalled that this was the primary assembly of such a committee after a spot of two years. – I’m glad that we returned to the apply of face-to-face conferences, as a result of I’m frightened about this sort of communication with you, speaking with you – he mentioned.

– As we speak I wish to thanks for all of your actions on this tough time for all of us, throughout the warfare in Ukraine on account of the occupation of Russia, throughout the epidemics – he added.

President Andrzej Duda and First Woman Agatha Kornhäuser-Duda and US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski throughout the Presidential Couple’s New 12 months’s assembly with heads of diplomatic missions accredited to PolandPAP/Andrzej Lange

Duda: Poland made a strategic choice final winter

– Few of you, earlier than beginning your work, right here in Poland, could count on that you’re going to a rustic that’s on the middle of world occasions within the first months of the final yr, and abruptly cities, which have been beforehand thought of distant. Przemyśl or Rzeszów will change into the place of arrival and departure of a very powerful individuals out of your nations – introduced the President.

As Duda continued, “You and I’ve change into contributors in a historical past that has decided the form of Europe, the West, and your entire world for many years, and who is aware of, perhaps even longer.”

He additionally emphasised that “Poland made a strategic choice final winter – within the face of Russia’s threats to neighboring Ukraine, we determined to not be impartial to aggressive actions.” – Two causes guided me and my colleagues. First, we believed that Ukraine might efficiently confront Russia so long as it obtained arms and monetary help from the free world West. Second, we firmly believed that if Russia’s calls for have been met with concessions by the worldwide neighborhood, Moscow would terrorize your entire area of our continent, he continued.

President Duda: Poland made a strategic choice final winterTVN24

“The interval of the top of historical past has sadly handed”

As Duda continued, “Russia’s barbaric aggression pressured the world to redefine its present geopolitical preparations and worldwide safety scenario.” “Russia’s renewed assault on impartial Ukraine is an element that may dramatically change the safety scenario in Europe and our allies,” the president assessed throughout a gathering with the diplomatic corps.

In response to him, the stakes of this warfare are enormous for all of us, “and the geographical location is irrelevant right here, as a result of now nearly the entire world has to take care of the results of vitality and meals crises brought on by Moscow.” “Let’s face it, the purpose of the Kremlin regime is to not remedy, however to exacerbate these crises, to make them extra acute for the world,” he mentioned.

Referring to skilled estimates, he mentioned that 70 million individuals on the planet are vulnerable to hunger. – 70 million greater than the inhabitants of France, which is twice the full inhabitants of Poland. We should always not flip a blind eye to those information, he opined.

President Andrzej DudaPAP/Andrzej Lange

The president harassed that each one these persons are vulnerable to hunger because of Russian aggression and meals intimidation. – That’s them Vladimir Putin He was taken hostage. Such acts can’t be allowed to go unpunished and never topic to the response of the worldwide neighborhood, as a result of the lives of thousands and thousands of persons are in danger, typically affected by very tough or dramatic conditions – he emphasised.

The President additionally famous that “Poland doesn’t shirk its duty to develop options to the challenges talked about right here.” “Subsequently we help the settlement negotiated beneath the auspices of the UN Secretary Common and are able to take part within the transit of Ukrainian grain,” he mentioned. On the similar time, he added, “Nevertheless, in the long run, we have to redefine our protection coverage.” – The time of the top of historical past has sadly handed – Andrzej Duda added.

President on army spending. “We should demand a swift change on this short-sighted coverage”

Throughout his speech, the Polish chief additionally talked about the nation’s nationwide safety challenges. – Investments within the army are investments within the safety and stability of not solely ours, Poland, however Europe as an entire, and given the dimensions of NATO, one may say, the world as effectively – he assessed.

In his opinion, “Regardless of the selections taken on the summit in Wales in 2014, it is usually necessary for these nations to not spend a minimum of 2 % of GDP on defence.” – As we speak, with NATO and the EU going through a full-scale warfare on its jap border, this short-sighted coverage should shortly change in favor of a extra united and constant strategy to essentially the most threatened allies. – he appealed.

He added that such financial savings are being made on the expense of “Lithuanians, Poles, Latvians, Estonians and Romanians”. We can’t settle for this as allies. Companions don’t try this. I say this on behalf of the federal government that equipped weapons to Ukraine in order that Ukrainians would have sufficient to defend their land and houses, not from stockpiles of out of date gear. emphasised.

The President famous that it is very important keep pleasant cooperation with companions similar to america, Nice Britain, the Bucharest 9 and the Baltic States. – New main companions are additionally on the horizon, such because the Republic of Korea, which has lately change into our main accomplice within the army sector, and presumably within the vitality sector as effectively. There isn’t any doubt that NATO is the principle guarantor of stability and safety within the Atlantic area.

The President additionally expressed hope that additional choices will probably be taken on the subsequent NATO summit in Vilnius to strengthen transatlantic ties and strengthen the jap a part of the North Atlantic Alliance. – If NATO is threatened by invasion, it’s undoubtedly threatened from the East. On this context, any speak of Europe’s strategic autonomy, if really understood as a partial weakening of cooperation with america, ought to be thought of not solely a pipe dream, however harmful concepts for a lot of the continent, he mentioned.

“An unjust peace ends in additional wars”

Duda additionally addressed the problem of difficulties in world worldwide relations. On this context, he talked about justice as the premise for peace – “together with ending the Russian aggression in opposition to Ukraine.” “An unjust peace ends with one other warfare, and all of us need one that has effects on Ukraine so badly to be the final in our lives, our kids, grandchildren and God bless the following era,” he mentioned. .

In response to him, “an affordable peace would restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine, power Russia to cease occupying elements of Georgia and Moldova, withdraw troops from Belarus and cease sustaining a puppet regime, cease fomenting conflicts within the Balkans, terrorize its border states, finance mercenaries in African nations and the world. “A simply peace,” he continued, “acknowledges the fitting of each nation to find out its personal future.”

“The warfare postponed many of those tasks, however I didn’t wish to abandon them.”

The president introduced that Poland helps Ukraine in NATO and Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia within the EU. Bosnia and Herzegovina. – I’m additionally satisfied that the Three Seas Initiative, the Bucharest 9, the Polish-Ukrainian fraternal motion are strongly supported by the Baltic States, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and the Central European Union. Conflict in Ukraine Create a brand new identification for our area. Andrzej Duda continued that we have gotten a household of countries and nations shaped by widespread historical past, geography, kinship and linguistic and private ties based mostly on widespread future. He additionally expressed his hope that each one nations within the area can be concerned in post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. – As a regional, tri-sea initiative, I urge Ukraine and Moldova to affix the European transport, vitality and digital information change techniques as quickly as attainable, in addition to to work on urgently integrating these nations. With the European Neighborhood – the President emphasised. Earlier than the warfare in Ukraine, he mentioned, there have been plans for “Poland to pursue a extra world agenda.” – I wished a brand new opening with Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indo-Pacific. I’ve additionally deliberate visits to the Center East with the help of the enterprise part, he mentioned. “In fact, the warfare has put many of those tasks on maintain, however I’m not going to desert them.” I imagine these are the duties for the remainder of my presidency. He declared that Poland is a superb European nation and its agenda have to be world.

Important photograph supply: PAP/Andrzej Lange