Mark Brzezinski: I’m really thrilled to be celebrating this Independence Day here in Warsaw

Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.

TVN24 reporter Michał Sznajder spoke with U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski on Thursday and asked him about the significance of the 4th of July Independence Day for the Americans.

"Fourth of July is our national celebration of American independence, American freedom, America’s history, including the sacrifice and our shared future – and that’s I love doing it in Poland. Because when I talk about our shared future with people, I’m so inspired about the possibilities of American-Polish collaboration on so many things," the ambassador said.

"So, I’m really thrilled to be celebrating this Independence Day here in Warsaw."

"This is the day when, frankly, we mesh together with our allies to have a drink, have some food, have some music to celebrate all the work that we’re doing together," he added.

Mark Brzezinski stressed that America and Poland had never worked together as closely as they were now "on military and security, on humanitarian response to Ukrainian crisis, on business to business, on energy, on democracy and values". "It is an intensive, broad, sweeping relationship, and I’m so proud to be here as the personal representative of president Joe Biden, who loves Poland," he added.

WATCH THE WHOLE CONVERSATION HERE:

"These are volatile times and with good leadership. I’m proud of what president Biden has done. He has pulled together a coalition of very different countries to support Ukraine, and Michał – it’s working" - he told TVN24 reporter. "The Ukrainian people are winning. Is it tough? Of course it is. But I think important tactical decisions have been made that prove that the West and America will be with the Ukrainian people until the very end."

"And the important thing I would like to convey to your viewers is even before the Ukrainians win there will be a transformational moment, getting ready for the rebuilding of Ukraine, that will really benefit people in Poland. Poland will be geo-strategically pivotal to the rebuilding of Ukraine. And the time to get organized, time to get ready, is now" - the U.S. ambassador urged.

Asked why the U.S. Embassy chose the outer space motif to mark this year's Independence Day celebrations, Mark Brzezinski replied: "Because we are celebrating the combination of America and Poland in space, at my 4^th of July party".

"Why are we doing that? Because this year is the 550^th anniversary of birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, and we just welcomed the chief of the U.S. space program. And his visit three weeks ago started a year and a half ago - when I began my ambassadorship to Poland," he added.

"I went to Washington, I went to NASA, I went to the chief of the U.S. space program Bill Nelson and I said: 'come to Poland, meet the young people, meet the young scientists and innovators here, meet the entrepreneurs who are building businesses that could insinuate into NASA’s space program'. And he said: 'Mark, I’m interested, I want to come here, I want to learn more. And he did. And he had the most fantastic visit,'" the ambassador explained.

"So, celebrating space and the combination of America and Poland in space is what we’re doing on Independence Day, because space is all about the future."

Finally, Michał Sznajder asked the ambassador what was the proper thing to say to an American person on Independence Day.

"The proper thing to say is: Happy 4^th of July!" - the ambassador replied and the two concluded the conversation with a hearty high handshake.