TVN24 News in English

TVN24 News in English

The United States' commitment to its NATO allies is ironclad said U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris during a meeting with Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Tuesday (April 11) in Washington. Morawiecki said the two countries stand together in the defense of the freedom of the Ukrainian people.

The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday trimmed its 2023 global growth outlook slightly as higher interest rates cool activity but warned that a severe flare-up of financial system turmoil could slash output to near recessionary levels. According to the latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF also said that Poland's projected average annual CPI inflation will be at 11.9%, while global GDP growth is to decelerate down to 2.8% in 2023.

Warsaw City Hall has launched a campaign raising awareness of the problem of patients missing doctor appointments. In 2022, the city recorded nearly 300,000 of such cases. Furthermore, the solution to this problem is very simple - one phone call is enough to cancel or reschedule.

Polish police reported 21 deaths and 203 people injured in road accidents during Easter holidays. Furthermore, Robert Opas of Polish Traffic Police informed that nearly 1,200 drunk drivers had been detained in that period. This year's overall statistics resemble those from the 2022 Easter break.

The annual Good Friday celebrations were held at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Monastery in southern Poland. According to the organizers of the event, approximately 65,000 faithful took part in this year's Way of the Cross, which is a form commemorating the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

In a video published on Thursday evening (April 6), Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Poland for welcoming him in Warsaw the previous day. "It is very important that the content of the visit to Poland, the work of our delegation in Warsaw and in constant communication with Polish partners should be tangible for our front. Defense and protection of our people, maintenance of our resilience, primarily the resilience of warriors, is the number one issue at all negotiations and meetings," president Zelenskiy said.

Ukraine's state arms producer said on Thursday (April 6) it would launch joint production of 125-mm rounds for Soviet-era tanks with Polish arms producer Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ). A top Ukrainian air commander said Ukraine was in dire need of F-16 fighter jets, which he described on Thursday as "four or five times" more effective than the Soviet-era planes currently used by Ukraine.

"Ukrainian hearts beat to one freedom, common independence, for our common Europe, our common home," Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his address at the Castle Square in Warsaw. He also stressed that Russia would not defeat Europe as long as Poland and Ukraine stand together. Speaking before Zelenskiy, President Andrzej Duda said Russia must be punished for the war crime committed i Ukraine. "It is a long way until this war is over, Ukraine needs support, it needs further deliveries of modern weapons," he added.

Interest rates stay as they were. Poland's Monetary Policy Council (MPC) said in a statement on Wednesday (April 5) "decided to keep the NBP interest rates unchanged". The decision reflects the forecasts of economists. The main reference rate has been kept at 6.75%. The Council also informed that further decisions "will depend on incoming information regarding prospects for inflation and economic activity".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited neighbouring Poland on Wednesday and thanked the country for its "historic" help, saying it should become a key partner in the vast reconstruction effort needed once Russia's invasion ends. President Andrzej Duda said Poland would supply Kyiv with a total of 14 MiG-29 fighter jets and that he was confident Ukraine would emerge victorious from the conflict.

"There is no doubt that you Mister President, that you Volodymyr, are an absolutely special man who received a mandate from its people to serve as president of Ukraine and accomplished this very exceptional mission," Poland's President Andrzej Duda said and awarded his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy with Poland's highest order - the Order of the White Eagle. President Zelenskiy thanked Polish authorities and people for support. "You have not abandoned Ukraine, you have stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and we are grateful for it," he stressed.

"We welcome Finland in NATO," Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Twitter. "From this moment the Alliance of 31 members is even stronger and more united. We do hope Sweden will join us very soon," the ministry added. Finland formally joined NATO on Tuesday (April 4), with the Finnish flag joining those of the 30 other member states at the headquarters in Brussels.

Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Łukasz Jasina informed on Tuesday (April 4) that chief of the Union of Poles in Belarus Andżelika Borys was "cleared of false allegations". The spokesman called the news "a token of change of Minsk attitude towards Poles in Belarus". Polish MFA also expressed hope that charges against Andrzej Poczobut would be dropped too and the journalist himself released.

Inflation in March 2023 decelerated down to 16.2% year on year, according to a flash estimate released by Statistics Poland on Friday (March 31). Compared to the previous month, consumer prices increased by 1.1%. Compared to the corresponding month last year, inflation in February 2023 was at 18.4%, which was the highest spike since December 1996.

Today is the International Transgender Day of Visibility. "This group of people is especially at risk of discrimination, and the Polish legal system still does not guarantee exercising their liberties and rights equally as other citizens," Poland's Commissioner for Human Rights said at the official website. At present, legal gender recognition in Poland is possible by bringing an action against one’s parents.