Press Release
☷Remarks by President Biden President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland Before Bilateral Meeting
White House ( By Press Release office)
Mar 15,2024
| 6| 0
Hey guys , welcome! It ' s great to have you back in Washington and see you all again . And hey , Mr . President and Mr . Prime Minister , it ' s an honor to have you here on this historic anniversary . It ' s kinda cool , you know? Today marks 25 years since Poland joined NATO . And fun fact , I was pretty involved in making that happen . I remember at the ceremony , the former Secretary of State , Madeleine Albright , said , "When we stand together , no force on Earth is more powerful . " I totally believed that then , and I still do now . We can see it in the Polish American troops serving alongside NATO and on the eastern flank , including Poland . We ' re all committed to strengthening NATO ' s defenses . Oh , and shoutout to Poland for spending almost 4 percent of its GDP on defense , a lot of it on American weapons systems and aircraft . They ' ve really doubled down on their commitment to NATO . Speaking of commitment , we ' re also supporting Ukraine in the face of Putin ' s brutal attacks . It ' s truly horrific , but Poland has been amazing in providing security and humanitarian assistance , even taking in about a million Ukrainian refugees . As my mom would say , "God love you , you ' re doing God ' s work . " You guys are incredible . So , today , the United States is announcing an emergency package for Ukraine , using some savings from previous Pentagon contracts . This package includes munitions and rounds to help Ukraine defend against Russia ' s attacks in the next few weeks . I have the authority to do this without asking Congress for more money right now , but trust me , I ' ve asked them for a lot more money . The situation is dire , and we need Congress to pass the national security bill that includes urgent funding for Ukraine before it ' s too late . Because let me tell you , Russia won ' t stop at Ukraine . Putin will keep pushing and put Europe , the US , and the entire free world at risk . So , thank you both for being here during this critical time . And now , Mr . President , it ' s your turn to speak . The floor is yours . There ' s no better place to celebrate this special anniversary than the White House . Big decisions were made here in the capital of the United States by both Democrats and Republicans . NATO expanded to the east , with Poland joining the free world where it belongs . I want to thank all the Americans who contributed to these decisions and supported them . And Mr . President , I especially want to thank you for being one of the leaders in the U . S . Senate who supported Poland ' s accession to NATO . On behalf of millions of Poles , thank you . PRESIDENT BIDEN: Thank you , Mr . President . PRESIDENT DUDA: Over the past 25 years , we ' ve proven to be a reliable Ally , even when our soldiers fought alongside American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan . Poland knows that security comes at a price , which is why we spend over 4 percent of our GDP on our armed forces . That ' s the highest percentage in the Alliance . Russia ' s aggression against Ukraine showed that the United States should remain the security leader , but other Allies need to step up too . That ' s why I believe all NATO countries should increase their defense spending from 2 to 3 percent of GDP . Two percent was good 10 years ago , but now , in response to Russia ' s full - scale war , we need 3 percent . We Poles believe in America and believe that Poland and Europe need more American involvement in military , political , and economic matters . I ' ve discussed this with Mr . President on multiple occasions , including during his visits to Poland . Last year , when we met in Warsaw , I announced that deepening cooperation between the United States and the EU would be our top priority when Poland chairs the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2025 . We ' re working towards that goal in Poland , which is why we ' re buying advanced American weapons like Abrams tanks , F - 35 fighter jets , Apache helicopters , and HIMARS missile launchers . We ' re also working closely with the U . S . in energy , with the construction of Poland ' s first nuclear power plant being done in partnership with American companies . Tomorrow , I ' ll have the chance to visit a modern nuclear power plant in Georgia . We value further American investments in Poland , and I hope that our joint visit with the Prime Minister will help strengthen our economic relations . We ' re glad to have new American companies come to Poland . Today ' s visit reinforced the strong relationship between Poland and the US , which we want to continue to strengthen . President Biden , thank you for the invitation and for always standing up for the principles of democracy , liberty , and the rule of law . Prime Minister Tusk , I appreciate your recognition of our commitment to NATO and for your kind words . Poland is a stable democracy and a crucial ally in the region . We stand together as a strong pillar of the transatlantic community . Our commitment to NATO and Article 5 is unwavering . Let ' s continue to face challenges together and stand firm as Allies . Thank you for being here , and America ' s support for Poland is unwavering . Our unity as NATO partners ensures our safety . I look forward to working together in the years ahead . Together , as Allies , we are a powerful force . Thanks! Let ' s get started in a sec . Thanks again . It ' s 3:54 P . M . EDT .
PLAY the NEWS
* May be useful for visually impaired persons .
Press release information:
Direct link to press release:
Click here .
