Trump and Polish president-elect might exchange visits soon, Duda says
Polish President Andrzej Duda has suggested that his American counterpart, Donald Trump, and Polish President-elect Karol Nawrocki might soon pay mutual visits to Warsaw and Washington, with dates of official trips to be confirmed.
"We can expect the Polish new president in the White House and the US president's arrival to Warsaw," Duda said at a press conference held in the wake of the NATO summit in The Hague on Wednesday. "The dates are yet to be finalised, of course, but I assume it will take place soon."
Duda was among the members of the annual NATO meeting, marking his last participation as president. The Polish leader has slightly over a month before the end of his second and last presidential term. Duda will pass the role to President-elect Karol Nawrocki on August 6.
When speaking with reporters about the Washington-Warsaw partnership, Duda stressed that he was satisfied with talks between Trump and Nawrocki, which took place in the White House in May, a month before Nawrocki triumphed in the presidential race.
"I view it as a great prognosis," the Duda said, adding: "Each Polish president has the strengthening of Polish-American ties as a responsibility."
"I've been doing this for ten years, and I take pride in hearing experts say that Polish-American relations are (now - PAP) the strongest they've been in our history."
The president spoke about the future of NATO affairs in Poland, saying that the situation Nawrocki will inherit is "on the right track."
"Of course, these matters will have to be continued and kept an eye on. There's a need to oversee, above all, the modernisation of the Polish army," the outgoing leader said, adding that Warsaw's continued NATO membership has to be assured. (PAP)
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