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Polish president to visit Latvia

31.01.2023 09:00
Poland’s president is set to travel to Latvia on Tuesday for a three-day visit to discuss more support for Ukraine and plans to further strengthen the eastern flank of the NATO alliance, according to officials. 
Polish President Andrzej Duda
Polish President Andrzej DudaPhoto: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

Andrzej Duda will be accompanied on the trip by First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported. 

After arriving in Riga on Tuesday afternoon, Poland’s first couple will meet with Latvia’s Polish community and Archbishop Zbigniew Stankiewicz, the Latvian prelate of the Catholic Church, who is of Polish descent, officials said.

Meetings with Latvian president, PM, top lawmaker

On Wednesday, the Polish president will hold talks with his Latvian counterpart Egils Levits, as well as with Prime Minister Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš and parliamentary Speaker Edvards Smiltens.  

On Thursday, Duda is set to meet with members of the Polish-Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry before taking part in a debate on security in Central and Eastern Europe, the IAR news agency reported. 

At this last event, the Polish president will be accompanied by Latvia’s Levits, with the audience consisting of policy experts, journalists and NGO activists, according to the PAP news agency. 

Support for Ukraine, NATO summit, eastern flank

Duda’s talks in Latvia are expected to focus on further support to Ukraine as it battles the Russian invasion, including ways to hold Russia accountable for war crimes, according to officials. 

The Polish and Latvian leaders will also discuss an upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, and efforts to further adapt the alliance, especially its eastern flank, to the threats in the region, reporters were told.  

Tuesday is day 342 of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, prezydent.pl, president.lv