Enlarge image
Donald Trump with Andrzej Duda (2020)
Photo: Jim Loscalzo / CNP / MediaPunch / IMAGO
Stunning in Warsaw: Polish government politicians criticized a statement by US presidential candidate Donald Trump on NATO's duty to provide assistance on Sunday. Poland's Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that the NATO principle "One for all, all for one" was "a concrete obligation." On the X platform (formerly Twitter), the conservative politician said: “Undermining the credibility of allied countries means weakening the entire North Atlantic Treaty Organization. No election campaign should be an excuse to play with the security of the alliance.
Former US President Trump said at a campaign event in the state of South Carolina that the "president of a great country" once asked him whether the US would still protect this country from Russia even if it did not pay for defense spending. He replied: "No, I wouldn't protect you." In fact, he would "even encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want." It was unclear whether there had ever been such a conversation between Trump and a head of state, because the Republican also said: "Let's assume that happened."
Poland is considered one of the closest US allies in Europe and is currently investing above average in its own armament, but apparently still feels unsettled by Trump's statements.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński was quoted by the PAP news agency as saying: "Trump is directly calling for Europe to be handed over to Putin." Other government politicians also published critical statements.
President Andrzej Duda, however, warned: "The alliance between Poland and the USA must be strong, regardless of who is currently in power in Poland or the USA." The liberal-conservative Prime Minister Donald Tusk used Trump's statement to take a domestic political swipe at him national conservative Polish president. Duda recently stated that Trump always keeps his word. Now he should consider whether this sensitive Trump statement should not be discussed at a meeting of the cabinet council of the government and president next Tuesday.
dop/dpa