US needs Poland as much as Poland needs US: Biden

By Jo Harper

WARSAW (AA) – US President Joe Biden reiterated his support for Poland in Warsaw on Tuesday, stressing that both sides benefit from close ties.

"The US needs Poland as much as Poland needs the US," he said while visiting his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda at the Presidential Palace.

"As I said to (Ukrainian) President Zelenskyy, we can proudly say that our support is unwavering," Biden said, a day after his surprise visit to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv.

“There are many challenges ahead of us, which we will have to face together, but I am convinced that we will overcome them. Our relationships are critical relationships. I hope we will continue them,” Biden added.

“Our forces will remain in Poland. At the moment, we are creating a new strategic partnership,” Biden said during his meeting with Duda.

The US president also thanked Poles for helping refugees from neighboring Ukraine and stressed the value of mutual relations.

Duda thanked Biden for his visits to both Kyiv and Warsaw.

“Poland is safe thanks to the presence of US and NATO troops,” said Duda.

Duda stressed Biden’s presence this week in Ukraine and Poland is a clear sign of security and a signal of the US responsibility for the security of the world and Europe.

"America is able to maintain the world order," he said.

He added that Biden’s visit to Kyiv shows that the free world has not forgotten about Ukraine.

“It was a spectacular, extremely strategic and political move, an extremely important political signal, especially for Ukraine, which strengthened the morale of the defenders. It was an act of great courage, for which I am very grateful,” said Duda.

During the meeting, the Polish president also emphasized that the transatlantic bond is crucial for Europe.