The Defender-Europe 22 military exercises demonstrate the cooperation and efficiency of NATO forces in collective defence, Andrzej Duda, the Polish president has said.
President Duda, along with Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak and US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski, on Thursday, were observing the Defender-Europe 22 military exercises taking place in the vicinity of Nowogrod, in north-eastern Poland.
Przywitanie Prezydenta @AndrzejDuda z żołnierzami z Polski, Stanów Zjednoczonych, Francji i Szwecji #DefenderEurope22 ???????? pic.twitter.com/bkeJ7CSfxY
— BBN (@BBN_PL) May 19, 2022
“We all see what is happening in Ukraine and are aware of the potential threat,” said Duda. “This exercise, planned much earlier, is to exhibit the interoperability and readiness of NATO in collective defence.”
He noted that the large-scale, U.S. Army-led military exercise was an important element of Allied cooperation in the defence of NATO territory.
“I hope that it shows all my compatriots that there exists an allied concern for our security, for the security of NATO countries, including Poland,” he added.
Mariusz Blaszczak pointed out that the presence of soldiers from many countries proved that “the allied forces attach great significance to security on NATO’s eastern flank.”
Mark Brzezinski added that the most important message of the Defender-Europe 22 is that American and European forces were prepared.
He added that the entire alliance stood by Poland’s side to prevent and deter any threats from the East and that the US had never before sent so many American troops to Poland.
The ambassador said Poland and the US were united, especially in these difficult times, as no one knows what Russian President Vladimir Putin’s next step will be.