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Energy security is key for Europe's Three Seas states amid Ukraine war: Polish president in Davos

25.05.2022 00:30
Poland’s president has said that Central and Eastern European countries working together as part of what is known as the Three Seas Initiative were focusing on energy security amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Polands President Andrzej Duda (centre), Latvias Egils Levits (left) and Estonias Alar Karis (right) take part in a panel discussion on the Polish-led Three Seas Initiative of 12 European countries at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
Poland's President Andrzej Duda (centre), Latvia's Egils Levits (left) and Estonia's Alar Karis (right) take part in a panel discussion on the Polish-led Three Seas Initiative of 12 European countries at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.PAP/Radek Pietruszka

Andrzej Duda made the statement at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

During a panel discussion with his Latvian counterpart Egils Levits and Estonia’s Alar Karis, the Polish president said: “We've been talking about links between Three Seas countries in tourism and business for years, but right now there's just one important issue, namely security.”

He added: “During the war in Ukraine, security is the main issue, and when it comes to the Three Seas Initiative, we mean energy security.”

Energy independence

Duda noted that new gas links were being built between Poland and the neighbours Lithuania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, besides a connection between liquid natural gas (LNG) terminals in Croatia’s Krk island and Poland’s southwestern city of Świnoujście. 

“All these links are highly important for our security,” Duda said.

He added that thanks to this infrastructure, when Russia halted gas supplies last month, Poland was able to say: “You can stop deliveries, we have gas links and it all works.”

“Gas independence is an achievement of the Three Seas Initiative,” Duda stated, adding that another key project was the Via Carpathia transnational highway network, connecting Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia.

Poland’s highest state honour for Croatia's Grabar-Kitarović

Also on Tuesday, the Polish president decorated former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović for her contribution to bilateral cooperation in energy security.

Duda granted Grabar-Kitarović the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state honour, noting that it was reserved “for the most important, truly outstanding contributions to our country.”  

He also said that Grabar-Kitarović was regarded by many as “the mother of the Three Seas Initiative.”

“It’s undoubtedly true,” the Polish president said during the ceremony.

The Polish-led Three Seas Initiative aims to boost infrastructure, energy and business ties among 12 European Union countries between the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Seas.

The initiative brings together Poland, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Tuesday was day 90 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: IAR, PAPprezydent.pl

Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.