Andrzej Duda’s words came in a televised address to the nation on Thursday, a month after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the state PAP news agency reported.
Earlier in the day, the Polish head of state took part in an emergency summit of the NATO alliance.
Meanwhile on Friday and Saturday, Duda will meet with US President Joe Biden, who is due to arrive in Poland as the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its second month.
Heroism of Ukraine
In his TV address, Duda said that "the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people have put up fierce resistance to invaders, heroically standing up for their country.”
He added that Poland’s war-torn eastern neighbour, "led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, is showing the whole world the true meaning of the words ‘courage’ and ‘bravery’.”
New NATO strategy
Duda said NATO needed to adjust its strategy to the new international situation, with war raging in Ukraine.
"The Russian aggression has produced in effect the worst security crisis in the world since the end of World War II," he said.
The president said “Poland takes an unequivocal stance here: we do believe that the new strategic concept of NATO must take into account the changes resulting from the Russian aggression against Ukraine.”
“What is needed is even greater engagement of the alliance in our region, in terms of both soldiers deployed and infrastructure,” he added.
The president hailed Thursday’s summit of the alliance as “yet another step leading to the reinforcement of NATO's eastern flank.”
Outpouring of generosity
Duda said that “in the course of the last month, Poland has taken in more refugees than the entire European Union at the height of the 2015 migration crisis.”
He stressed: “As a state and as a society, we are passing this test of genuine solidarity with flying colours.”
“The world looks with admiration at Poland, at the millions of Polish people who actively engage in providing aid to the refugees,” the president also said.
EU assistance
“The challenge that we are confronted with has no precedent,” Duda told the nation in his address.
He added that the Polish authorities were "discussing very tangible ways in which the European Union as well as individual states and international organisations can lend support to Poland.”
‘Long live Ukraine, long live Poland’
Duda also said that “state leaders and heads of international organisations ... have highly commended our attitude and are thankful for what we are doing.”
He told Poles: "Thank you for the great good you have done. You are magnificent.”
He concluded: “Long live free, independent and democratic Ukraine! Long live Poland!”
Friday is day 30 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Poland on Thursday reported it had welcomed 2.2 million refugees fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, prezydent.pl