President Duda: those who have seen destruction in Ukraine understand why we need NATO troops on the eastern flank

President Duda visited Latvia on Tuesday and met with Polish soldiers stationed in Adazi military base as part of NATO Enhanced Forward Presence battalion.

During the visit, Duda told the soldiers that he had planned to come to Latvia back in April. "I couldn't see you then because I went to see with my own eyes why you are here. I went to Kiev invited by president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and during my visit I also went to Irpin and Borodyanka, from where Russian forces had been pushed back a few days earlier," he explained.

"Anyone who has seen Irpin, Borodyanka, Bucha, Mariupol and other places in Ukraine, understands why the allied forces are stationed along NATO eastern flank, and why our soldiers fufil duties also in other countries - they serve to ensure safety of other states, nations and the Alliance as a whole," the president stressed.

He added that the allied troops were stationed along NATO eastern flank "so that no one attacks us,". "Due to our strength, our readiness, due to our joint allied preparedness and sturdiness, it's simply not worth the effort," Duda said.

"Anyone who is identified as an attacker on our territory, as someone who trespasses, attacks or plans to take control of it, shall be pushed back or destroyed immediately. That's why it's not worth to do it, and that's how it should be," Polish president said.

President Duda was accompanied by Poland's Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak, who stressed in his speech the huge significance of NATO troops stationed at the eastern flank, especially in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

"Russia attacked Ukraine. The Kremlin decided to violate all rules of the international law, it decided to reconstruct the empire of evil, which had been defeated by the free world in the past. Yet today - as we can see - the Kremlin has revived its urge to opress, attack and subordinate other countries against their will," the minister said.

"We strenuously protest against it, and we shall do everything not to let the empire of evil to reemerge - that's why we support Ukraine," he added.

Minister Błaszczak also stressed that the main task of the Polish Army and the government was to protect the homeland, and for that reason - he added - effort were being made to strengthen Polish Armed Forces and to provide them with modern military equipment.

"We're drawing conclusions from what is happening in Ukraine, preparing our armed forces to deterring the enemy," defence minister said.