Sanctions as a way to stop the Russian aggression

During the meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki raised the issue of sanctions, which are becoming increasingly painful for Russia. Imposition of additional restrictions is an important element in preventing President Putin from taking further actions in Ukraine. NATO is not at war with Russia, which is why the imposed sanctions can help end the conflict and maintain the sovereignty of Ukraine.

“We talked about the need for the sanctions to be tight. That means that there should be no banks that would not be excluded from SWIFT, that the asset freeze should be as broad as possible,” said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and added that “I told the Secretary of State about our role in this regard within the European Union and about the summit of the European Council scheduled to take place in several days in Paris. I also stated that sanctions need to be firm, crushing and need to have a definite impact on Vladimir Putin’s war machine.”

Alternative supply sources for energy resources

Another topic discussed during the meeting between the Prime Minister of Poland and the U.S. Secretary of State were alternative supply sources for gas and oil. Currently, these resources come to a large extent from Russia, thus providing it with an uninterrupted stream of cash. This constant access to resources allows President Putin to continue military operations in Ukraine. All actions aimed at cutting Russia from further financing show that Poland remains one of Ukraine’s allies.

Reinforcement of the eastern flank of NATO

Both the Head of the Polish Government and the U.S. Secretary of State emphasised the role of the United States in the context of reinforcement of the eastern flank of NATO. There are currently over 10 thousand American soldiers stationed in Poland, and endeavours are being made to increase this number. We are constantly receiving military equipment suitable for protecting our sky. These actions mean that we can feel even safer.

“The situation in Ukraine is without precedent over the last several decades. Together with our allies, with the United States, with NATO member countries, we must build an even stronger security architecture in the eastern part of Europe and the European Union,” stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and added that “It is with great satisfaction that I can state that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also completely agrees that it is necessary to reinforce the eastern flank of NATO and strengthen the security of Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.”

Conversation over the phone with the President and the Vice-President of the United States

The need to reinforce the eastern flank of NATO and ensure security for members of the alliance was also confirmed by Vice-President of the United States Kamala Harris when she spoke over the phone with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. The conversation between the Head of the Polish Government and the Vice-President of the United States also concerned issues related to support and assistance for Ukraine. In addition, President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda also communicates on a regular basis with President of the United States Joe Biden. The White House emphasises the commitment of the United States to security of Poland and of all NATO allies. The American President expressed his gratitude for our stance. He also stressed that we need not worry, as Article 5 remains in effect and the U.S., together with the rest of NATO, guarantee our safety.