President Karol Nawrocki has begun a visit to the United States, where he arrived at the invitation of President Donald Trump. At the start of his visit, the Polish head of state met with members of the Polish community in Maryland and attended Mass at a church in Silver Spring.
A recording of Nawrocki entering the church has appeared online.
Silver Spring is home to the Polish parish of Our Lady Queen of Poland and St. Maximilian.
“The president’s role is not to improve the prime minister’s image”
Later, the president spoke to the media. Asked about Trump’s stance on the presence of US troops in Poland, he said the American leader greatly values Poland and the Polish people, so “there is no particular need to convince him of that.”
“However, as you know, I am not revealing anything new here; there is often a problem with the anti-American narrative of many important politicians in Poland, including members of the Polish government. There is a problem with enforcing what I agree, at the highest political level, with President Donald Trump. I think that, I do not want to assign tasks to you, but I think this is the main task for Polish journalists today, for Polish public opinion: to ensure that what we manage to agree […] at the highest political level is implemented by the government. We have major problems with that,”
he said, pointing to statements made by Sejm Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
He stressed that Trump understands that the center of gravity of security has shifted to NATO’s eastern flank, but added that he “always looks with concern at the rise of anti-American narratives in Poland.”
He said that relations with the US are not built by “insulting” an ally or undermining the alliance. Asked why he had not travelled with any representatives of the Polish government, the journalist recalled how the foreign minister wanted to accompany him to the Oval Office; he replied: “Minister Sikorski very much wants to get in, but he must realize that the policy he is pursuing is more of an obstacle than a help.”
“The president’s role is not to improve the prime minister’s image,”
he added, saying that some politicians had damaged relations with the US, which he is now repairing.
Visit to the US
On Sunday evening, the president is set to attend the UFC Freedom 250 mixed martial arts gala at the White House, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and held on Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
On Monday, the president will hold talks on Capitol Hill with Senate Majority Leader John Thune. The following day, he will meet with members of the Polish community at the John Paul II Center in Clearwater, Florida.