This is a big role to be played by President Andrzej Duda and I am counting on him – said Zbigniew Konwiński from the Civic Coalition in “Fakty po Faktach” on TVN24 about the meeting announced by Duda with President-elect Donald Trump. Dorota Olko from the Left Club said that “leaders of partner countries must talk to each other”, but it is important that the meetings “do not take place from a position of veneration” and are “truly partnership-based”.
On Monday, Andrzej Duda talked to the president-elect for the first time after the presidential elections in the United States Donald Trump. As the Polish president described, Trump wished Duda on Independence Day and thanked the Polish American community for voting for him. Politicians are scheduled to meet before Trump is sworn in as US president in January. They are to talk about security, economic cooperation between Poland and the United States and the situation in… Ukraine.
Read more: Andrzej Duda talked to Donald Trump
The conversation between Trump and Duda, as well as the announcement of their meeting, was commented on in “Fakty po Faktach” on TVN24 by MPs – Dorota Olko from the Left Club and Zbigniew Konwiński from the Civic Coalition.
Olko: it is important that the conversations are based on partnership and not on a flat-out basis
– I think that the leaders of partner countries need to talk to each other. What is important is that these conversations do not take place from a position of veneration, but that they are truly partnerships. What we have seen in recent days from Law and Justice, i.e. President Duda's political environment, was quite embarrassing. The applause for President Trump, the chanting, the hats in the Sejm hall were quite amazing – said Dorota Olko, referring to the enthusiastic reception by PiS MPs first results polls from the USA, which pointed to Trump's large advantage over Harris.
See also: They stood up, clapped and chanted the name. Ovations for Trump from PiS and Confederation MPs
Olko on the Duda-Trump conversation: the leaders of partner countries must talk to each otherTVN24
According to the politician, it is important to “think about the interest of the state”, and not the interest of the party from which Andrzej Duda comes. – From our perspective, it is important now to ensure that decisions regarding Ukraine are not made over Ukraine's heads. (…) I have the impression that President Duda's speech contained some discrediting of the defense partnership, and I think that strategically we should remember about Europe, for example in the context of ammunition production and partnership cooperation also when it comes to defense – Olko added.
Andrzej Duda and Donald TrumpPhoto from June 24, 2020Leszek Szymański/PAP
Konwiński: a big role to play by President Duda
Zbigniew Konwiński, however, said that “it is no secret” that KO politicians “were betting” on Kamala Harris, but “we need to cooperate with the one who was elected president of the United States.” – We would like to thank President Trump for his wishes. This is an important day for us, November 11. However, apart from wishes, we would also expect that (…) United States They will continue to support Ukraine because it is a matter of our security – said the guest of “Fakty po Faktach”.
– There is indeed a big role for President Duda to play here and I am counting on him here, because the way he got involved in President Trump's campaign can be our voice in relations with President Trump, too – said the KO politician.
– I would expect that (Andrzej Duda – ed.) will convince President Trump to verify, to some extent, his views on the end of war in Ukrainesupport for Ukraine. This is a matter of our security, and November 11 is a good moment to speak loudly about Poland's security, Konwiński added.
Main photo source: Leszek Szymański/PAP