Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, said that by supporting Ukraine he is supporting Poland.
“I believe that today Ukrainians who are defending their homeland are simply defending Europe and they’re also defending Poland against Russian imperialism,”
Duda said in an interview with the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform on Saturday.
“While supporting Ukraine and Ukrainians, I’m fully aware that I’m acting in the interest of my country and my countrymen (…) These are actions in our own interest and if they are seen and assessed favourably in Ukraine, then I’m grateful for that,”
the president continued.
Duda declared that Poland would be part of a group of countries giving jets to Ukraine and proposed harsher sanctions on Russia.
President Duda acknowledged the significance of President Biden’s journey to Poland next week, calling it “a crucial visit and an essential sign.”
“It is for a second time during the Russian invasion of Ukraine that President Joe Biden will be present in Poland, so close to a Ukrainian border (…) This visit is an important gesture by the president of the United States both towards Ukraine and us, the eastern flank of NATO,”
he said.