Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki heads to US to further strengthen defence cooperation

Warsaw: Poland’s PM Mateusz Morawiecki flew to the US on Tuesday for talks aimed at strengthening the two countries’ economic and defence cooperation. Morawiecki is scheduled to meet US Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on Tuesday to discuss additional support for Ukraine. During his three-day visit, he will also meet with representatives from American defence companies, reported The Associated Press. Morawiecki said, as quoted by AP, “I am flying to the United States to strengthen the alliance with our most powerful ally, with a country that guarantees security in Europe, that especially guarantees security in our part of Europe.” Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, the United States increased its military presence in Poland — a nation on NATO’s eastern flank that borders Ukraine and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave — and has used Poland as a transit country for military and humanitarian aid going into Ukraine. Poland is also a major donor of aid to Ukraine, and has been ordering fighter jets, tanks and other modern military equipment, mostly from US and South Korean producers, to strengthen its own forces and replace some older equipment sent to Ukraine, according to AP. As Europe seeks to gain energy independence, Poland is also planning to build nuclear power plants, and has chosen the US government and Westinghouse as its partners for its first plant, to be opened in 2033. Before departing Warsaw early Tuesday, Morawiecki told reporters at the airport that Polish-American relations “have not been so good for a long time, and perhaps they have never been so strong.” He said his talks with the US defence industry will also include talks on financing the billions of dollars of current and planned purchases. Poland is buying US F-35 fighter jets, Abrams tanks, HIMARS artillery systems and Patriot missile launching units. Morawiecki’s visit follows two visits to Poland by US President Joe Biden since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also paid an official visit to Warsaw last week. Polish PM said that Poland’s alliance with the US is “an absolute foundation of our security.” He added, “It is based on two pillars: economic and defence cooperation. I am going to the US to strengthen both of these pillars,” reported AP. Morawiecki stated that US companies have invested approximately $25 billion in Poland, resulting in the creation of thousands of jobs. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.