Poland's Andrzej Duda and Italy's Sergio Mattarella met in the Italian capital on Tuesday, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
The two heads of state talked about regional security and their countries' similar views on military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, according to the Polish president’s office.
Meanwhile, the Italian president’s office said that Duda and Mattarella restated their strong support for Ukraine and called for greater European solidarity and unity, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The two presidents also “discussed the need to increase European solidarity and unity, starting with the issue of energy, which threatens to cause serious consequences for citizens and companies,” Italian officials told reporters.
Moreover, Mattarella “expressed his appreciation for the Polish commitment to welcoming Ukrainian refugees,” according to officials.
Interview with RAI
After the meeting at Quirinale Palace, Duda concluded his visit to Rome by recording a TV interview with Italy’s state broadcaster RAI.
The Polish president said in the interview that the recent election victory of Italy’s centre-right coalition, led by Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) party, created an opportunity for closer Polish-Italian cooperation towards “a European Union policy oriented towards member states and focused on countering the Russian threat.”
Duda condemned what he termed "new Russian imperialism.”
The Polish head of state also said that Meloni’s views on issues including "family-friendly policies" were “very similar" to his own, the PAP news agency reported.
Meetings in Italy
Earlier on Tuesday, Duda held talks in the Italian capital with the director-general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Qu Dongyu, the IAR news agency reported.
That meeting focused on food policy, the geopolitical situation around the world, including the rising prices of energy and their impact on the food crisis, and international solidarity, officials told reporters.
On Monday, the Polish president addressed the UN World Food Forum in Rome, outlining how Russia’s war on Ukraine had undermined global food security and stressing that the Kremlin's assault must be stopped as soon as possible.
Duda’s visit to Italy began on Sunday, when the Polish head of state, accompanied by First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda, made an unofficial visit to the Vatican.
In the Holy See, the Polis presidential couple paid tribute to Pope Saint John Paul II, on the eve of the 44th anniversary of his election as the head of the Catholic Church.
Tuesday was day 237 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, prezydent.pl