Poland’s outgoing President Andrzej Duda has saved few revelations for the ultimate weeks of his presidency.
Ten years in workplace – a tenure spanning Donald Trump’s first and present time period – his admiration for the incumbent chief of the free world stays undimmed. As is his conviction that Ukraine’s solely probability of peace lies with the US chief.
That will not be what European politicians are used to, Mr Duda says, however Donald Trump is answerable to the US taxpayer and to not his European counterparts, and allies should “stay calm” within the face of this new transatlantic modus operandi.
As for negotiations with Vladimir Putin, President Duda is bound that Donald Trump has the measure of the Russian chief, whereas refusing to be drawn on the competencies of his chief negotiator Steve Witkoff who landed on Friday in Moscow for additional talks with Vladimir Putin – a person Mr Witkoff has described as “trustworthy” and “not a bad guy”.
Placing the kybosh on Nord Stream 2 in his first time period and thwarting President Putin’s vitality ambitions by way of his state-owned vitality large Gazprom are proof sufficient that Mr Trump is aware of the place to hit so it hurts, Mr Duda says.
Given the failures of Europe’s leaders to barter peace by way of the Minsk accords, he believes the onus now falls on Donald Trump.
“If anyone is able to force the end of Russia’s war, it is most likely only the President of the United States,” he says.
“The question is whether he will be determined enough to do that in a way – because it is also very important here in Europe being a neighbour of Russian aggression against Ukraine – that the peace is fair and lasting.”
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The Polish NATO base on the frontline with Russia
President Duda has simply weeks left in workplace earlier than the nation votes for a brand new president in Might.
Initially from Poland’s conservative Legislation and Justice get together, one of many few factors of alignment with the liberal and euro-centric prime minister Donald Tusk is the emphasis each place on safety.
Hopes for ‘Fort Trump’ base
So did the announcement this week that the US can be withdrawing from the Jasionka air base close to Rzeszow, which is the important thing logistics hub for allied assist into Ukraine, come as a shock to the president, because it did to many Poles?
By no means, Mr Duda says.
“We were warned that the change was planned. I have not received any information from [the US] about decreasing the number of American soldiers. Quite the opposite.”
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US defence secretary Hegseth and President Duda met in February. Pic: Reuters
He referred again to talks with US defence secretary Pete Hegseth in February, saying: “We discussed strengthening the American presence in Poland, and I mentioned the idea of creating a huge base of US troops. Then, we called it Fort Trump. I do still hope that this idea will be implemented.”
Andrzej Duda has staked his legacy on shut ties with Donald Trump at a time when many NATO allies are contemplating a type of de-Americanisation, as they contemplate new buying and selling realities and construct up their very own defence capabilities.
Poland has confirmed itself a mannequin by way of defence spending, investing greater than some other NATO member – a large 4.7% of GDP for 2025. However because the case of Canada exhibits, even the very best of friendships can flip bitter.
The Canadian conservative get together, as soon as dubbed a maple MAGA, was flying excessive within the polls earlier than Donald Trump determined to savage hyperlinks together with his closest buying and selling associate.
Now within the area of just some months they’re floundering behind the ruling liberal get together. Is that this a cautionary story for Poland’s conservative Legislation and Justice get together?
“For Canadian conservatives it is a kind of side effect of President Trump’s very tough economic policy,” Mr Duda says.
“In Poland, this does not have such an impact. The security issues are the most important. That’s the most important issue in Poland.”
