US President Joe Biden intends to meet with the leaders of NATO’s eastern flank as part of his upcoming visit to Warsaw. This was announced at a regular briefing on Friday by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“The President will leave for Warsaw on Monday evening, where he will meet with the President of Poland. [Анджеем Дудой] <…> and the leaders of NATO’s eastern flank to reaffirm the unwavering US support for the alliance’s security,” she said. According to Jean-Pierre, the US President also intends to make a speech on the eve of the anniversary of the start of the special military operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine.
According to White House National Security Council (NSC) strategic communications coordinator John Kirby, who also participated in the briefing, the meeting with Duda is scheduled for Tuesday. The two leaders are expected to discuss “bilateral cooperation and collective efforts to support Ukraine and strengthen NATO’s deterrence capabilities.” “[Они] will also discuss the important logistical role of Poland in facilitating <…> delivery of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine by the United States and our allies and partners,” he added.
On Tuesday evening, Biden will deliver a speech in Warsaw “about how the United States has brought the world together to support the people of Ukraine.” “President Biden will make it clear that the US will continue to support Ukraine <…> as long as it takes,” Kirby said.
According to him, the next day, Biden is scheduled to meet with the leaders of the Bucharest Nine countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Estonia). “[Они] will discuss our efforts over the past year to strengthen NATO, which is now stronger and more united than ever, and how our countries will continue our unwavering support for Ukraine,” Kirby continued.
During the briefing, he also clarified that during his visit to Poland, Biden would only visit Warsaw. Kirby ruled out the possibility of the American leader visiting Ukraine as part of the trip, and also said that a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is not currently on Biden’s schedule.