President Andrzej Duda: America and Europe must act together

President: We will need nuclear power plants

- The threats and challenges facing the democratic world of the West are becoming more and more complex. It is also a strong argument for deepening our cooperation. Another reason was the pandemic - while struggling with this serious problem, we could feel how much our countries are dependent on each other and how much we are able to achieve by acting together - said the president in his speech at the Warsaw Security Forum.

SEE: President Andrzej Duda: if anyone violates European law, they are European institutions

He expressed the conviction that we can effectively face the challenges ahead, but we need to meet a few key conditions, which - as he pointed out - "we should all remember".

- First, America and Europe must act together, must remain a community based on democratic values ​​and the reasons and interests arising from them. The transatlantic bond should remain the strategic basis for the activities of our states, emphasized Duda.

He pointed out that "we need an America politically and militarily engaged in the security of Europe and active in NATO". According to the president, "it is a guarantee that the democratic world will be able to cope with numerous challenges, both at our borders and in remote parts of the globe."

"We need a strong EU"

In his speech at the Warsaw Security Forum, the president emphasized that "we need a strong European Union that shapes security in its environment to a greater extent than it is now, but is not competitive with NATO and does not duplicate its activities and structures". - In this context, the EU security and defense policy should serve to strengthen the defense capabilities of the EU Member States, supporting their coordinated and coherent development - he added.

He stressed that a strong NATO-EU partnership is needed, "providing synergy in the efforts of both organizations, in line with the direction set out at the NATO summit in Warsaw in 2016". - The military mobility project involving both organizations will be one of the biggest tests of this partnership - said the president.

SEE: President Andrzej Duda: if anyone violates European law, they are European institutions

He also spoke of the need to coherently and consistently develop partnerships "with states and nations that share our values ​​and are ready to support us." He pointed out that the role and importance of NATO's global partners, such as Japan, South Korea or Australia and New Zealand.

- In this context, new initiatives for cooperation with them should make it possible to achieve the goals of the entire transatlantic community. I hope that this will be the case with the recently announced agreement between Australia, Great Britain and the USA (AUKUS) - he stressed.

- We also cannot forget about the unfinished transformation processes at our borders - in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, and about the nations which are now deprived of the right to self-determination by oppressive regimes, which is what Belarusians are currently experiencing. Including them in the community of free and democratic Western countries is in their interest, as well as in ours, emphasized Duda.

He emphasized that Poland actively supports the ambitions of these countries, supporting the open door policy, both in NATO and in the EU.

"We defend the borders of NATO and the EU"

The president spoke about "new security challenges looming on the horizon." The most serious of them - he pointed out - is the multidimensional influence of China in the technological, economic, financial and cyberspace fields.

- There are also the so-called new, breakthrough technologies, the acquisition of which by our adversaries may disrupt the existing order. Threats from terrorist groups remain. In the hands of our opponents, there are tools such as disinformation, cyber attacks or interference in election processes in our countries - he emphasized.

- We are currently experiencing hybrid aggression in Poland in the form of attempts to transfer migrants to the territory of the EU by the Belarusian services. We defend the borders of NATO and the European Union with full determination. Today we are sure that among those trying to cross the border illegally, there are people who have connections with terrorist organizations, said Andrzej Duda.

SEE: Russian bombers over the Baltic Sea. NATO fighters escorted them

At the same time, the president pointed to the "classic threats" that are still present. - They are more and more often combined with new ones and often come from the same source. A good example of this is Russia, which by expanding its military engagement is threatening NATO not only from the east, but also from the north and south. It is accompanied by hybrid actions which are hitting the stability of our democratic institutions, including even electoral systems, he stressed.

Therefore, he added, "it is important that we find a comprehensive answer to them, so that the Alliance not only improves deterrence and defense, but also increases its and our partners' resilience to hybrid Russian actions." "Let us remember that not only China is a reference point in terms of hybrid threats. Therefore, next year's summit in Madrid should bring comprehensive decisions on adaptation to all these challenges," stressed the president.

"We must increase our defense potential"

In his speech at the Warsaw Security Forum, the president indicated that all states of the transatlantic community should "seriously treat the obligation to develop their own potential, as set out in Article 3 of the Washington Treaty".

- I agree at this point with what was so strongly emphasized by General Breedlove (former NATO force commander in Europe, General Philip M. Breedlove) that Art. 3 of the treaty is before Art. 5., in the first place, each of us has a duty to build our own defense capabilities so as to be able to face the enemy, and allied aid guaranteed by Art. He only received 5 when it was necessary, but he always received it. But first, let's take care of ourselves, this is also our allied duty - he said.

- Fair burden sharing - both politically and militarily is important. We all need to increase our own defense potential and allocate appropriate financial resources for this purpose. For years, Poland has been meeting its obligations in terms of spending on defense the 2 percent agreed in NATO. GDP. Under the act I signed in 2017, we intend to reach 2.5 percent. GDP in 2030 - emphasized Duda. He expressed hope that it will be achieved faster.

He pointed out that solid funding is a prerequisite for the success of the continuous modernization of the armed forces. - Poland is making serious purchases. In addition to the already implemented programs for the purchase of Patriot anti-aircraft systems, HIMARS rocket launchers, and F-35 aircraft, there are also others, such as the acquisition of Abrams tanks. It is our contribution to our own security and the security of the region as well as the security of the entire NATO - he emphasized.

SEE: President Andrzej Duda: We will need nuclear power plants

The president noted that the recently completed Russian Zapad-21 exercises "showed that Russia is practicing full-scale conflict scenarios with NATO, and that the territory of Poland, the Baltic states and Belarus is one of the main arenas of confrontation."

Duda also pointed out that states must be ready to engage in joint actions as part of various types of military missions conducted by NATO and the EU. "Poland is one of the most active allies in this dimension. We are involved in activities aimed at strengthening the allied security and defense potential, from the Baltic states to Turkey, and in stabilization activities beyond our borders - wherever it is needed. Among other things, Poland is always ready to engage in serious operations, such as the allied operation in Turkey launched not so long ago, "said the president.

He also stressed that Poland was fulfilling the role of a host country for the forces of other allies present in our country. - I mean eFP (enhanced Forward Presence) and the American presence, for which we have signed an agreement on enhanced defense cooperation. Its implementation will be of great importance for the success of the allied deterrence and defense mission, said Duda.

President: Nord Stream 2 is a strategic mistake

We must be able to draw conclusions from the past, also from the mistakes we have committed, "said President Andrzej Duda during the Warsaw Security Forum.

As he said, "he means Afghanistan, for example." He stressed that at the beginning of the Afghan mission, the task was to destroy the "safe harbor" for international terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. "We managed to achieve this goal. After September 11, 2001, none of the terrorist attacks was planned and carried out by cells operating in Afghanistan," said the president.

Unfortunately, according to Andrzej Duda, it was not possible to "effectively support the Afghans in creating a modern democratic state". "We cannot make both the mere assessment of the Afghan mission and the look at the future of the country divide us. We must draw conclusions to better assess where and how to engage in stabilization activities in the future, so that they are effective, and brought long-term, positive results, first of all in the field of bringing peace to the world, "said the president.

SEE: Andrzej Duda appointed Joanna Misztal-Konecka as the President of the Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court

As he said, "the second example is Nord Stream 2". "This gas pipeline should not have been built, it is a strategic error for the entire transatlantic community. It is not just about Russia's ability to cut off gas supplies to Ukraine and Slovakia or bypassing Poland. , blackmail that goes far beyond energy issues, the president explained.

In his opinion, "reflection is needed today in the EU and NATO on how to meet the political, energy and military threats and challenges that Nord Stream 2 may bring". "It is also a place to take up this topic at the forum of the Three Seas Initiative," he added.

"I believe that the new NATO Strategic Concept and the EU Strategic Compass, adapting both organizations to the changed reality, will be based on these assumptions I have discussed. It is obvious that both documents must create a complementary and coherent vision; they must also be a testimony of unity and coherence. Euro-Atlantic community in the face of the challenges ahead of us. The process leading to their agreement should therefore unite all of us, at all possible levels, "said the president.

VIDEO - Employees got great Christmas bonuses. The owner decided that they are the foundation of the company. Read more