Poland is an important ally in the Ukraine Crisis. It hosts thousands of American troops, and it is taking in more people fleeing war in Ukraine — more that 2 million — than any other country in the midst the biggest European refugee crisis for decades.
Biden will travel to Warsaw on Saturday for a bilateral meeting scheduled with President Andrzej Duba. Biden will discuss the U.S.’s response to the humanitarian crisis that Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine has caused. The president may also visit a refugee camp.
Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, said Monday that Poland was “an important partner” as they work together to stay united in the coming weeks and months.
Biden also put an end to his critical visit to Brussels this week in order to have urgent talks with NATO members and European allies. The White House stated that Monday’s talks included a discussion by European leaders from France, Germany and Italy about “Russian brutal tactics in Ukraine” as well as its attacks on civilians. They also discussed recent diplomatic efforts to support Ukraine’s ceasefire process. Psaki stated that she believed the leaders would remain in contact with each other on the conflict.
She stated that the White House was also in contact with Ukrainian officials.
She said, “We convey that we support all diplomatic efforts,” but the only role the U.S. can fill is through a wide range of military assistance and economic sanctions against Russia.
Biden will not travel in Ukraine. Psaki stated that “we have not explored that possibility.” Psaki said that aside from the security concerns of sending Biden into warzone, he felt he could make an “effective and meaningful” trip by meeting other NATO leaders to discuss how to help Ukraine.
While in Poland this month Secretary of State Antony Blinken briefly crossed into Ukraine to show solidarity with Dmytro Kuleba, the country’s foreign Minister. Poland is one of the most vocal NATO member countries asking for more involvement to stop the bloodshed.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin has largely united NATO, the United States and European allies as well as allies throughout Asia and elsewhere. The United States and European governments view Moscow’s military aggression invading Ukraine as a threat their security and strategic interests.
NATO and Biden have repeatedly stated that the U.S. will continue to provide military support for Ukraine and NATO will also provide weapons and other defense support. However, they want to avoid any escalation against Kyiv that could lead to a wider war with Russia.
On March 9, the Pentagon rejected a Polish proposal to provide Ukraine with MiG fighter aircrafts via a NATO base. It stated that allied efforts against Russian invasion should be focused on more useful weaponry, and that the MiG transfer with an American and NATO connection would pose a “high-risk” of increasing the conflict.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the president of Ukraine and has asked for more aircraft and advanced air defense systems from the United States. NATO and the United States rejected his requests to create a “no fly zone” over Ukraine in order to suppress Russian airpower. They claimed it would place Western forces in direct conflict.
When Russian tanks and troops invaded Ukraine in February, Ukrainian fighters resisted and defeated the attempts of Russian forces to seize Kiev’s capital and overthrow the westward-looking government. Russia’s military has reverted to the scorched earth tactics used in its previous offensives in Syria, Chechnya and is now pounding population centers with artillery barrages and airstrikes that allow civilians, such as those in Mariupol, to safely go out for food and water, to bury their dead or flee.
Biden had rallied European allies and joined in sweeping sanctions against Russia for the invasion at the beginning. His tasks now include dealing to some NATO members who are pushing for greater involvement in the fighting. This includes the proposal by Poland to establish peacekeepers.
Biden’s visit includes a summit of NATO leaders on Thursday. They will use the meeting for strengthening the bloc’s deterrence, defense, and security, both immediately and over the long-term, in order to confront the confrontational Putin.
Psaki announced last week that Biden will also participate in the European Council summit, where they will discuss sanctions against Russia by allies and humanitarian efforts to help the millions of people displaced from Ukraine’s attacks.
Psaki stated that his agenda includes a meeting of the leaders of the Group of Seven countries in order to discuss the harsh financial and economic sanctions the West and its allies have imposed on Russia for its invasion.
