Polish President skips COP29 group photo due to the presence of Lukashenko

Andrzej Duda declined to participate in the group photo at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, citing the presence of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenka, whom he views as a dictator.

Baku, Azerbaijan, November 12, 2024. Polish President Andrzej Duda speaks to the media during the COP29 climate summit. The politician is on an official visit to Azerbaijan.

KPRP/Marek Borawski

A video from the COP29 climate summit was shared on social media, including on the Nexta profile, showing the so-called "family photo" featuring all the leaders representing the participating countries. Notably absent from the photo was Polish President Andrzej Duda.

According to Polish Radio 24, referring to the Interia news portal, sources close to the Polish president indicated that Duda's absence was a deliberate gesture. He made a similar move last year in Dubai during the COP28 summit.

Polish President Andrzej Duda refused to participate in a collective photo session at the COP29 climate summit in Baku because of the presence of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenka. pic.twitter.com/l4YnXPrYne

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 12, 2024

In 2024, the Polish President emphasized that nuclear energy is essential for the future, as it offers a clean, safe, and stable source of power.

He also highlighted the importance of collective efforts to combat soil degradation and achieve climate neutrality.

The conference, running from November 11 to 22, brought together around 100 world leaders and diplomats to discuss climate progress, hosted by a country heavily reliant on fossil fuels.

Source: PR24/X/@nexta_tv

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