President Duda invited by Trump to "a private meeting"

Nationalist Duda, whose term in office expires in 2025, was one of Trump's preferred international partners during his presidency.

"I was invited by Donald Trump to his private apartment, so to speak... this is simply a private meeting in connection with my presence here in New York," Duda told reporters in New York.

"We will talk about our cooperation... We just know each other as people, as two, I can say in a sense, friends."

Trump, who is on trial in New York over a hush money payment to a porn star, is in a tight race against President Joe Biden, a Democrat, ahead of the November presidential election.

Asked if he wasn't afraid to antagonize Joe Biden's administration by meeting with Trump, Duda replied: "I am not afraid because presidents meet with their colleagues, especially those who used to hold the president's office in their countries, this is a normal practice, there is nothing special about it."

"The presidents also meet different politicians during their foreign visits," the Polish president added. "It is normal that when two countries have good relationships, they want to have good relations with different sides of the political scene."

Many European leaders have long been nervous that another Trump presidency would mean waning U.S. support for Poland's neighbour Ukraine and the NATO military alliance.