Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, has urged Polish Americans to vote in this year’s US presidential election during a visit to Pennsylvania. He argued that, by making their voice heard, they can ensure continued US support for Poland.
Duda was speaking at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, a Polish-American Catholic shrine. He had been invited there to unveil a new memorial to those who fought to overthrow Poland’s communist regime.
Initially, there were plans for Donald Trump – an ally of Duda – to also attend. However, those were shelved in the days leading up to the event, with media reports suggesting there were concerns over ensuring security for Trump at the location.
Instead, Trump sent out a post on social media congratulating the “amazing Polish-American community” and “my great friend, Polish President Andrzej Duda” on the unveiling of the monument to “the brave heroes who fought for Poland’s independence”.
There are almost 9 million self-declared Polish Americans in the US, representing around 2.7% of the country’s population. Particularly large numbers of them are located in states seen as key battlegrounds in this year’s presidential elections, such as Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania itself.
Speaking at the National Shrine on Sunday, Duda told Polish Americans that, although “you live far away, your voice is important for Poland, for its security, for its survival…Your political strength, your votes cast in American elections, decide the future of America but also the future of Poland”.
“It was also thanks to your support that we regained freedom in 1989, and in 1999 we were accepted into NATO, which today is the foundation of our security…[including] through the modernisation of the Polish armed forces in cooperation with the United States,” continued Duda.
With regard to the latter, he then specifically mentioned that it was “during the administration of President Donald Trump that the decision was made that Poland would enter the F-35 programme” to receive the US-made combat aircraft.
The F-35 combat aircraft being produced by Lockheed Martin for Poland has been unveiled at its headquarters in Texas.
The Polish version of the plane has been named "Husarz" in reference to Poland's famous "Winged Hussar" cavalry units https://t.co/Zk1BSxQnmd
— Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) August 28, 2024
Duda warned, however, that “for America to have this extremely important function…and for Poland to have its guarantee your vote is needed”.
“That is why I ask you to go to the American elections. Not only the upcoming presidential elections, but every election, so that the strength of the Polish community in America determines the strength of the homeland,” said the president.
Speaking later to broadcaster Republika, Duda emphasised that a strong Poland is also vital to the US. He noted that Poland’s strategic location – connecting the Baltic states to the rest of NATO and as a hub for transport to Ukraine – helps “determine the security of our part of Europe”.
Poland has enjoyed close relations with the US under both the Trump and Biden administrations, as well as under both the former Law and Justice (PiS) government in Warsaw – with which Duda was allied – and the current ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Earlier this year, in a rare show of unity between two otherwise rivals, Duda and Tusk visited the White House together to mark the 25th anniversary of Poland joining NATO.
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Main image credit: Marek Borawski/KPRP
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
