US President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet at the White House with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The meeting is intended to show solidarity for Ukraine in its battle against Russian invaders and to discuss ways to increase funding for NATO in response to the ongoing threat from Moscow.
The meeting comes at a crucial time, as Biden seeks to overcome opposition from Republican hardliners in Congress who are blocking $95 billion in funding for Ukraine’s weaponry and aid to Israel.
The leaders are expected to reaffirm their unwavering support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s aggression and to coordinate ahead of the annual NATO summit, which will be held on July 9-11 in Washington.
The discussions will also focus on deepening the defense relationship between the US, Poland, and other NATO allies, which has grown closer since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago.
In an opinion article for the Washington Post, Duda called for each NATO ally to increase defense spending from 2 percent to 3 percent of GDP, citing Russia’s increased military spending and aggressive posture.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who is eyeing another presidential run in November, reportedly told Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban that he would not provide financial assistance to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia if he were re-elected.
As relayed by Orban, Trump’s stance suggests a departure from the current US policy of supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts against Russian aggression.
The meeting between Biden, Duda, and Tusk underscores the importance of transatlantic solidarity in the face of Russian aggression and highlights the ongoing efforts to strengthen NATO’s collective defense capabilities.
