Duda’s remarks followed a tense Friday meeting at the White House, where Trump reportedly berated Zelensky, accused him of disrespecting the U.S., and ended the talks abruptly.
Duda, speaking to reporters before heading to Chicago and later the U.N. General Assembly in New York, said Washington possesses “unrivaled military and economic power” necessary to halt Moscow’s actions.
Since Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea, Duda noted, attempts to negotiate through European-led efforts and the Minsk agreements yielded little. “We need the United States because of its potential to support Ukraine and deter Russia,” he said.
The Polish leader added that Zelensky “should calmly return to the negotiating table” with Trump, maintaining that a lasting peace in Ukraine also serves Poland’s security interests. He recalled advising Zelensky, prior to the White House clash, to engage in “constructive dialogue” with the U.S. administration.
Asked whether Trump and Vice President JD Vance had disrespected Zelensky, Duda emphasized that the Oval Office is “the focal point of global politics” and that certain standards of conduct traditionally apply. He did not rule out contacting Trump during his stay in the U.S. to help defuse tensions.
Turning to national defense, Duda pointed to lessons learned from the 2008 Georgia war and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Poland has increased its military spending to 4 percent of GDP, hosts U.S. troops, and deepened ties with NATO.
“We’re in America’s awareness when it comes to security,” he said, referring to recent praise from Trump on Poland’s contributions to the alliance.
Meanwhile, international leaders have offered support to Zelensky since the contentious White House meeting. Trump’s accusations that the Ukrainian leader was “playing with World War III” and lacking gratitude have drawn widespread criticism.
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Source: IAR, PAP