Former President Trump met Wednesday night with Polish President Andrzej Duda, the latest in a series of conversations the presumptive Republican nominee has had with foreign leaders.
Trump hosted Duda At Trump Tower in New York City, where the former president is staying while he attends his criminal trial over an alleged financial scheme.
Duda, who enjoyed a good relationship with Trump during his first term, was an advocate of supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. Trump was skeptical about providing aid to Ukraine and criticized NATO, of which Poland is a member.
“He's doing a great job. The Polish people love him, they really love him,” Trump said of Duda.
Trump added: “He's my friend, and we've had four wonderful years together.”
The Trump campaign said, in a statement issued after the meeting, that the two men spoke for two and a half hours and discussed the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The two men also discussed Duda's proposal that NATO countries spend 3 percent of their gross domestic product on defense, the campaign said.
Poland is a member of NATO and shares a border with Ukraine, which puts it in a precarious position. The United States and its allies have warned that if Russia bypasses Ukraine, it could look to move into Poland or another neighboring country, which could lead to a broader global war.
Duda, a right-wing populist, urged the United States to provide more assistance to Ukraine in its war against Russia. Duda visited the White House in February, where he and President Biden celebrated the 25th anniversary of Poland's accession to NATO.
Duda also had a strong relationship with Trump and once suggested naming a Polish military base after Trump.
Trump has pushed his “America First” foreign policy, questioning why the United States is providing so much aid to Ukraine and calling on European countries to provide the majority of aid to Kiev.
The former president also raised concerns among NATO members about his commitment to the alliance in a potential second term.
Trump made headlines with his comments at a rally last February, in which he indicated that he would do nothing to protect a NATO ally if it did not spend enough on defense funding.
“I said, 'You didn't pay.' You're a delinquent. He said, 'Yes, let's assume that happened.'” Trump told the crowd, “No, I'm not going to protect you.” “In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want.”
In recent weeks, Trump met with Hungarian President Viktor Orban and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron. he is too He reportedly made a call With Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Updated at 10:57 p.m
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. all rights are save. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
“Infuriatingly humble alcohol fanatic. Unapologetic beer practitioner. Analyst.”
