Polish President Andrzej Duda met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street on Thursday (April 7) for talks on the crisis in Ukraine and to strengthen ties between the two countries.
"I think Poland and the government of Poland have done an absolutely outstanding job of coping with the current crisis in Ukraine. And I salute you, Andrzej, for what your country and your people have been have been doing. I really, really I really do," Boris Johnson told reporters ahead of the meeting with Andrzej Duda.
"I also want you to know that the people of the United Kingdom are absolutely in solidarity with you in wanting to support the people of Ukraine. And we are with you in lockstep, shoulder to shoulder, in wanting to help our Ukrainian friends diplomatically, politically, in economic sanctions upon the regime of Vladimir Putin, but also in supplying military equipment to help the people of Ukraine to protect themselves. Because that is fundamentally what this is about," he added.
Johnson also said that the UK and Poland would work together to try to alleviate the suffering in Ukraine in any way that they can. "I think we're sending another 30 million pounds to support Poland, and as I speak and as we stand here, there are NHS ambulances are being driven by Polish drivers to help give vital medical relief and support to the suffering people of Ukraine. So thank you, Andrzej, for doing us the honour of your visit. Welcome to number 10," the British PM said.
"What is certainly most important for those who are now defending Ukraine, we will discuss together with the prime minister different kinds of support for the defenders of Ukraine and for those who are currently in Ukraine as well as the refugees, of whom almost two million are currently in Poland," said President Andrzej Duda.
"Almost 2.5 million refugees from Ukraine have already crossed our border (since the war began)," he added.
"Thank you for the support to Poland in this refugee crisis, thanks to which we can better help our guests, our brothers from Ukraine who are now fleeing war in their country and settling in ours - thank you very much," said Poland's president.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the fighting has displaced more than 10 million people and forced more than 4 million to flee abroad, according to the U.N. refugee agency.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters