“This shows chaos. The Polish government often struggles in the realm of international politics, and it’s a good thing we have President Karol Nawrocki, who, even during his campaign, was able to find common ground with President Donald Trump,” said Zbigniew Bogucki, head of President Karol Nawrocki’s Chancellery, on TV Republika’s “Guest Today” program. He was responding to statements by government spokesman Adam Szłapka, who had claimed that Donald Tusk would represent Poland in talks between European leaders and Donald Trump.
Video Meeting With Trump
Today, a teleconference was held between European leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of his Friday talks with Vladimir Putin. Participating were the heads of state of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Finland, and Poland, along with representatives of the European Commission, the European Council, NATO, and Ukraine.
Government spokesman Adam Szłapka had announced yesterday that Poland would be represented by Prime Minister Donald Tusk — a statement that turned out to be false, as it was President Karol Nawrocki who took part. Notably, Szłapka had recently urged the public not to fall for disinformation.
Speaking about the EU leaders’ meeting with Trump, Bogucki said:
“It was an important video meeting of European Union leaders and the President of the United States. Ten leaders of the free world met today ahead of Donald Trump’s talks with Putin, scheduled for August 15. The discussions focused on shaping Europe’s and our region’s security policy, as well as on how to deter Russian expansion.”
He emphasized that “President Nawrocki took an active part in the conversation, referring to what we will celebrate in two days — the anniversary of the 1920 Battle of Warsaw.”
“He told Donald Trump that back then, Poles — supported by Ukrainians — stopped the Soviet advance not just on Poland but on all of Europe, and he wished Trump a similar victory in his talks with Putin,” Bogucki recounted.
Bogucki also criticized Szłapka’s earlier statement announcing Tusk’s participation, which proved untrue.
“Donald Tusk said that they knew since midnight that the president would be the one taking part in the conversation with Donald Trump and the other EU leaders. The question is whether his associates, Messrs. Szłapka and Tomczyk, lied or simply didn’t know — and if they lied, whether they were trying to exert pressure, meaning to insert Donald Tusk into the meeting as a fait accompli, despite the Americans making it clear that President Nawrocki was their partner in this format. This is not good for Poland,” he said.
He added that, in his opinion, “the Polish government often fails in the field of international politics, and it’s a good thing we have President Karol Nawrocki, who, even during his campaign, was able to establish a rapport with President Donald Trump.”