Полска во Северна Македонија

Ladies and gentlemen, 

The meeting was devoted to coordinating actions in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as political, economic, social, and humanitarian consequences of Russia’s war on a neighbouring state.

In the discussion with Secretary Blinken, we raised the most important issues arising from the ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine - Poland's two eastern neighbours – both for Polish-American bilateral relations and for allied cooperation within NATO, as well as for the coordination of political activities in the OSCE.

Poland will never recognize territorial changes brought about by unlawful and unprovoked aggression.

The way in which Russia conducts hostilities, based on the desire to break the will of Ukrainian resistance by means of attacks that terrorize civilian populations, shelling residential areas, nuclear power plants, and non-military vehicles are war crimes under international law, which are not subjected to statutes of limitation and will be prosecuted with utmost determination. I call on Russia to refrain from attacks on civilian populations. I call both parties to abide by international humanitarian law and to treat prisoners of war with dignity.

Turning over all war criminals must be considered in future peace negotiations.

Due to its own painful experiences in the past Poland will consequently demand prosecuting war criminals. This is our historic debt to the inhabitants of Guernica and Wieluń whose sacrifices can never be forgotten. Pursuing war criminals is an element of mankind’s common memory. To achieve this Poland called to life the Raphael Lemkin Center for Documenting Russian War Crimes in Ukraine. We discussed possibilities for Polish-American cooperation in this area.

I call for an end to the bloodshed and a cease fire for the duration of the talks.

In my capacity as OSCE chairman-in-office I welcomed the understanding for creating humanitarian corridors that will facilitate the evacuation of civilians from Ukrainian cities under siege. Along with the majority of OSCE countries I appealed for this from the outset of the conflict. I view this understanding as a ray of hope to prevent more Ukrainian civilians from falling victim to war. Everything possible must be done to ensure their evacuation.

Russia’s aggression in Ukraine caused a humanitarian crisis of unimaginable scale. Our priority is organizing effective aid to hundreds of thousands, and soon to be millions, of refugees. Poland already offered asylum to 700 thousand refugees and we will continue to do so for everyone that needs it regardless of their nationality, race, or religious creed.

The attack on Ukraine already transformed Europe and its sense of security. Poland decided to immediately increase its defense spending budget to 3 % of its GDP beginning next year.

As a key country for deterring and defending NATO’s eastern flank Poland wholeheartedly welcomed the Alliances’ swift reaction to the new strategic circumstances.

I conveyed to Secretary Blinken my thanks to President Biden for his effective leadership in coordinating an explicit, united, and effective response from the transatlantic community and the free world to Russia’s aggression.

As a host country for NATO Response Force on the eastern flank Poland plays a critical role in this reaction and we are determined to abide by it. In line with the Charter of the United Nations, Poland will provide all possible support to Ukraine, who is currently defending itself from unprovoked and unlawful aggression.