Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Poland’s President Andrzej Duda had a lot to talk about when they got together at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Wednesday. They spent over two hours discussing the challenges facing the world today like the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Trump was full of praise for his friend Duda, calling him “fantastic.” He fondly remembered his 2017 visit to Poland and how impressed he was by the Polish people’s patriotism and commitment to protecting Europe.
Poland is known for being a conservative country that takes border security seriously, something Trump certainly relates to. When he was in the White House Trump often called on NATO allies to step up and pay their fair share for Europe’s defense.
Duda mentioned he and Trump discussed his proposal for NATO countries to invest at least 3% of their GDP in their militaries. As a country bordering Ukraine, Poland has a major stake in the ongoing conflict there.
President Trump held a summit with the President of Poland in NY.
Funny that leaders of other countries meet with our former (and next) President instead of the current president.
That says a lot about how the rest of the world views the US. pic.twitter.com/VIoTVsN8zP
— Ygor Petrov (@YgorPetrov) April 18, 2024
While Trump was president, he was criticized for insisting European nations invest their fair share in the security of the continent. And, given what we’ve seen transpire in Europe, they are likely now wishing they’d listened.
While some worry a second Trump term could mean less aid for Ukraine top Republicans like House Speaker Mike Johnson are backing a new assistance package. The bill which Congress will vote on soon would provide over $60 billion to Ukraine with the bulk of it going to replenish U.S. weapons already sent to help Ukraine battle Russian aggression.
The Trump-Duda meeting showcased the strong ties between two conservative leaders who see eye-to-eye on many global challenges. With Trump vying to return to the White House and the war in Ukraine still raging, the future of U.S.-Poland relations will be one to watch closely.
