[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] U.S. President Joe Biden held talks with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw, Poland, on the 26th (local time) to discuss the international community's response to Russia and efforts to support Ukraine.
The White House stated that the two leaders exchanged views on the international community's continued efforts to impose strong sanctions on Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion, as well as their joint commitment to continue supporting the Ukrainian government and people.
The United States particularly emphasized its firm security commitment to its allies under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. Article 5 is the founding clause of NATO, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members, prompting automatic collective defense by other members.
President Biden said, "The collective defense clause among NATO allies is a sacred promise," stressing the extreme importance of NATO unity, according to the Associated Press. He added to President Duda, "Your freedom is our freedom."
He expressed gratitude to Poland for hosting Ukrainian refugees and pledged continued U.S. support for these humanitarian aid efforts. President Biden evaluated, "Poland is bearing a great responsibility," and foreign media reported he said, "This should become the responsibility of all NATO allies."
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, 3.7 million people have fled Ukraine, with over 2 million residing in Poland. The United States announced earlier this week that it will accept 100,000 refugees.
President Duda reportedly asked President Biden if the supply of U.S.-made weapons could be expedited, according to major foreign media. He requested the prompt delivery of Patriot missile systems, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), F-35 stealth fighters, and Abrams tanks.
President Biden said of Russian President Vladimir Putin, "I am confident that President Putin believed NATO would be divided," adding, "But we stood together, and he did not succeed."
The two leaders also discussed strong defense cooperation between the two countries, U.S. support for European efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy and achieve climate goals, and democratic values that form the foundation of transatlantic relations.
After meeting Ukrainian refugees at the Warsaw National Stadium, President Biden responded to reporters' question on how he views President Putin "in light of the refugees' suffering" by calling him a "butcher."
When asked whether Russia, which declared it would focus on the complete liberation of Ukraine's Donbas region, had revised its strategy, he said, "It is unclear."
President Biden, on a 4-day, 3-night European tour, attended consecutive summits of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Group of Seven (G7), and the European Union (EU) in Brussels on the 24th to discuss responses to Russia, before visiting Poland, which borders Ukraine, on the 25th and 26th.
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