CPA Statement on the visit of President Andrzej Duda in Washington

The Coalition of Polish Americans is pleased over the visit of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda in Washington, DC.  The meeting of state delegations and Presidents Andrzej Duda and Donald Trump in the White House signifies the well-developing cooperation between Poland and the United States.

The geopolitical location of Poland and other Central European countries, as well as the obvious threat from today’s Russia, require building alliances and links with the United States.  Only sovereign and economically and militarily strong Poland can be a leader in ensuring the security and development of the countries of the former Communist bloc.  This vision of building the future, with strong ties to history, is the basis for the creation of the “Three Sees Initiative”.

It is worth emphasizing that such strong Poland, as well as security and stability in the entire region, is in the best interest of the United States.  The US has serious reasons to value this region because of its great strategic and geopolitical importance.  That concerns not only the presence and influence of the USA in Europe, but also the necessity to neutralize military threats from Russia.

Poland is therefore in its due position as a USA partner.  Leaders of Poland and the United States who are meeting today in Washington, DC, have common interests and will talk about further developing and deepening economic and military cooperation.  We hope that the President Donald Trump’s administration takes cooperation with the Republic of Poland with full respect for its sovereignty.

In light of the above, we have to express our outrage caused by statements from several Representatives of the Democrat Party in the US Congress, most notably Mr. Eliot L. Engel and Ms. Marcy Kaptur.  They express their opposition to the visit of President Andrzej Duda, based on references to internal matters concerning, inter alia, judicial reform or LGBT ideology.  As Coalition of Polish Americans, we demand respect for Poland’s political and cultural sovereignty and the right to establish social policy and internal order in accordance with Polish tradition and culture.