President Duda: defending Ukraine is in the interest of the whole free world

At a press conference after a Bucharest Nine summit on Friday, Poland's President Andrzej Duda informed that the format leaders had discussed security issues.

"It's a busy time in international politics. War in Ukraine is a fact. Ukraine has been defending itself very bravely from the Russian attack, an unprovoked and unjustified aggression against a free, independent, sovereign country. An aggression which does not have any objective justification, except that Russia wants to pursue its imperialistic ambitions, it wants to rule and occupy Ukraine," president Duda said.

He also informed that leaders of the Bucharest Nine had also discussed further ways in which to help Ukraine. "Poland helps Ukraine every day. We are absolutely determined in that regard. We believe it's not only in Ukraine's interest to defend itself, keep its sovereignty and freedom, but it's also in our interest, us Poles, Poland, the whole NATO eastern flank, the EU, the whole free world," he added.

"We want Enhanced Forward Presence, that we have today at the eastern flank of NATO, not only to extend by further countries - here I think about Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia. That's been basically agreed, but we also want it to be transformed into Enhanced Forward Defence," Andrzej Duda said and explained that it in effect it would result in a significant increase of NATO troops on the eastern flank of the Alliance.

He also expressed hope that U.S. military presence in this part of Europe would also increase. "We are discussing this issue both in the North Atlantic Alliance forum, but also as part of our bilateral relations with the United States," the president said.

"We are ready to support every country, which is part of NATO, that finds itself in danger. Every country can count on us," president Duda assured on Friday in Bucharest.