Andrzej Duda made the declaration before both houses of the Polish parliament, at a special session to mark 23 years since the country joined the NATO alliance, the state PAP news agency reported.
The Polish president called on “the whole free world” to step up its efforts to assist the fighting Ukrainian nation, as Russia pressed on with its invasion of Ukraine for the sixteenth day.
Duda said that “today, the free world has the face of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.”
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian head of state addressed the gathering via video link from Kyiv.
Received with a standing ovation, Zelensky expressed his gratitude to the Polish authorities and the Polish people for the help that has been extended to Ukraine and Ukrainians amid the Russian assault.
“We haven’t been left alone to deal with the enemy - Polish brothers and sisters are with us,” he said.
NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also gave a speech to the Polish parliament via a virtual connection, hailing Poland as “a highly-valued and committed” member of the western alliance.
Referring to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the NATO chief said: “We will protect Poland. And defend every inch of Allied territory. One for all and all for one.”
Stoltenberg added: “Whatever Moscow seeks to achieve through violence and aggression, it will fail. It is failing already.”
Friday is day sixteen of the Russian attack on Ukraine, which began on February 24.
Poland on Friday reported it had admitted 1,52 million people escaping the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm)
Source: IAR, PAP, nato.int