The drone, shot down by Ukrainian forces, was presented at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), a major right-wing political gathering near Washington, where both Sikorski and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk received a standing ovation.
Speaking to Polish media at the event, Sikorski said that without Tusk’s decision, the drone’s transfer would not have been possible.
"This drone has already been described by CNN and The Wall Street Journal, and now it has been seen by US administration officials," Sikorski said. "I hope they have taken note of the recognition given to Prime Minister Donald Tusk."
The drone, a Shahed model manufactured in Iran and used by Russian forces in Ukraine, was displayed at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, near Washington, where the CPAC conference is taking place.
Sikorski described the exhibit as part of efforts to document what he called the "axis of chaos" between Iran and Russia.
However, he stressed that credit for securing the drone belongs primarily to Ukrainian forces, who shot it down.
Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Mark Wallace also addressed the conference, thanking the Polish government for its involvement in bringing the drone to Washington, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
“I really want to recognize the Polish government, Prime Minister Tusk, my friend Radek Sikorski, and the entire Polish delegation. President Andrzej Duda is coming here as well!” Wallace said, urging the CPAC audience to applaud Poland’s contribution.
Sikorski noted that similar drones have been used in attacks on Israel and that the same type recently crashed near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
The CPAC organizers, he added, included an acknowledgment of Poland's role in transferring the drone to the United States in their display.
The CPAC conference, one of the largest gatherings of conservative politicians and activists in the United States, regularly attracts high-profile speakers from America and abroad.
Polish President Andrzej Duda is set to meet with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the conference on Saturday, according to media reports.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP