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Polish PM, US vice president discuss response to Russia's assault on Ukraine

02.03.2022 09:00
Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and US Vice President Kamala Harris have discussed the West's response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, officials have said.
Polish Prime Mateusz Morawiecki.
Polish Prime Mateusz Morawiecki.Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

The White House said in a statement that Harris on Tuesday had five separate calls with European leaders from NATO’s eastern flank "to discuss our collective response to Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine."

She spoke individually with the Polish prime minister as well as Estonia's Kaja Kallas, Latvia's Krisjanis Karins, Lithuania's Ingrida Simonyte, and Romania's Nicolae Ciuca, according to the statement.

"Throughout each of the calls, the Vice President underscored the strength and unity of our Alliance and welcomed each of her counterparts’ leadership and coordination on robust response measures, including sanctions and other economic measures through the European Union," the statement said.

It added that the leaders discussed "the robust NATO response," while also reviewing "recent and upcoming U.S. and NATO force posture adjustments in Europe, including the deployment of thousands of U.S. troops and critical capabilities to reinforce our deterrence posture and collective defense."

In each call, Harris "reaffirmed our ironclad commitment to NATO’s Article 5," the White House said.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin last Thursday announced a "special military operation" against Ukraine to eliminate what he said was a "serious threat" against his country.

Despite appeals and warnings from the international community, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its southern neighbour by land, air and sea, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War II, the Reuters news agency reported.

Top Polish officials have condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine and vowed to support the Ukrainian people.

Morawiecki told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday that Russia's invasion of Ukraine posed "an existential threat to peace in Europe."

(gs)

Source: IAR, whitehouse.gov