“Ukraine has never been and will never be alone in its struggle. Because Ukrainians are fighting for all of us. If Russia is not stopped, it is ready to go much further”, said Polish President Andrzej Duda at the 2nd Summit for Democracy.
Organised by US President Joe Biden with the participation of the Netherlands, South Korea, Zambia and Costa Rica, the meeting is held for the second time and has brought together 121 leaders from around the world.
During the First Summit in December 2021, Andrzej Duda was accompanied by the leader of the Belarusian opposition Svyatlana Tsichanouska. At that time, the President spoke mainly about the regime of Alexander Lukashenko.
“The following months brought a hybrid operation, i.e. a migrant crisis on Poland’s eastern border, organised by Minsk with the support of the Kremlin”, the President recalled in his speech and added that this was a prelude to an unprovoked attack on Ukraine.
According to the Polish President, the Russian war revealed the true face of Putin’s regime: cruelty and brutality. Andrzej Duda stressed that another effect of Russia’s actions is the food, economic and energy crisis present worldwide.
He recalled that Poland’s leading role in responding to the Russian invasion is unprecedented. “We have been at the forefront of calls to send aid – including military aid to Ukraine to help fight the Russian aggressor and impose tough sanctions on Russia”, said Andrzej Duda.
The Polish leader stressed that Poland has taken in more Ukrainian refugees than any other European country since the beginning of the invasion. “Not in refugee camps, but in our homes. Today, Poland is home to more than 3.5 million Ukrainians”, he pointed out.
According to OECD figures, Poland spent more than $9 billion, or 1.5 per cent of its GDP, on humanitarian aid to Ukraine last year.
Adrian Andrzejewski