President says Poland can serve as regional gas hub
President Karol Nawrocki has said that Poland could become a regional hub for supplying gas from the United States, following talks with the leaders of the Visegrad Group countries on Wednesday.
Speaking after Wednesday's V4 summit in Esztergom, attended also by his counterparts from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, Nawrocki said the meeting had focused on key issues for Central and Eastern Europe, with energy cooperation at the forefront.
"Our shared interest, as I believe, is to continue strengthening infrastructure links between the countries of the region, including gas interconnections and electricity links. Energy independence is also an expression of the sovereignty of each of our states," he argued.
Nawrocki further said that Poland had held advanced talks in recent years on supplying natural gas through an expanded network of interconnectors. He added that Poland's access to the sea made it "jointly responsible for supplying energy, specifically gas, to our region."
He said that he had discussed with the presidents of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary the possibility of supplying US gas through Poland. "Poland can be a hub for our region and I have already made preliminary arrangements with US President Donald Trump," Nawrocki said.
"The goal is of course clear, the systematic reduction of Russian influence in Europe, which I believe is important for the security of all our states," he said, adding that the resurgence of Russian imperialism remained the greatest challenge.
Nawrocki also said that it was an illusion to believe the war in Ukraine was solely a Russian-Ukrainian conflict, pointing to Russian hybrid activities in Europe and attacks on critical infrastructure.
He added that only a strong presence of the United States and the North Atlantic Alliance in the region could ensure security and defence against the Russian threat. (PAP)
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