Joint Statement on U.S. – Poland Strategic Dialogue
Media Note
April 22, 2024
The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Poland on the occasion of U.S. – Poland Strategic Dialogue.
Begin Text:
The Governments of the United States and Poland held the 15th session of the U.S.-Poland Strategic Dialogue in Washington on April 22, 2024. The Strategic Dialogue took place one year after the previous session in Warsaw and two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Dialogue focused on shared values and interests, reaffirming the strong, steady, and broad bilateral cooperation between the United States and Poland. The working groups of the Dialogue discussed regional security and collective defense; political-military issues; energy security, including nuclear energy cooperation; economic prosperity; and renewing democracy and rule of law at home and regionally in Eurasia.
The United States and Poland reiterate our unwavering commitment to defend every inch of NATO territory. We discussed security arrangements on NATO’s eastern flank and further developing capabilities and forces that will reinforce NATO’s interoperability, readiness, and modernization. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense, especially in light of the latest NATO airspace violations.
The United States congratulates Poland on the recent 25th anniversary of Poland’s accession to NATO on March 12, which was marked by the historic visit of President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the White House, reinforcing our shared commitment to NATO and the democratic values it underpins. Both sides look forward to the July 2024 NATO Washington Summit marking 75 years of the most successful and enduring alliance in history and reaffirming Allied unity in the wake of Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine. The United States welcomes Poland’s leadership and commitment to robust defense spending – at a level equivalent to four percent of Polish GDP – and its ongoing efforts to modernize its military, including through the use of U.S. Foreign Military Financing loans to purchase cutting-edge military equipment and technology. Both sides seek to further strengthen defense industrial cooperation.
The United States and Poland are committed to ensuring Russia’s aggression against Ukraine remains a strategic failure. We affirmed our support to Ukraine’s self-defense, humanitarian relief efforts, and Ukraine’s economic recovery. The United States and Poland will continue to cooperate closely with Allies and partners in support of Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russia’s invasion and win the war. We reiterate our commitment to continued joint efforts to address Ukraine’s critical energy security needs. The United States welcomes Poland’s longstanding bilateral military assistance to Ukraine, signing of the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, Poland’s commitment to negotiate a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, and Poland’s close coordination with the European Union on Ukraine, as well as Polish financial and material contribution to EU support to Ukraine. The United States commends the continued strong support of Poland and Polish society for Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees, welcoming about one million into their homes. By the same token, Poland commends the strong U.S. support for Ukraine and continued U.S. leadership in aiding Ukraine’s defense. Both sides underline the necessity to secure sustainable financial and military support for Ukraine. The two welcomed recent efforts to shield European states from Russian influence operations seeking to undermine European Parliament elections and faith in democracy.
We are determined to apply economic sanctions to continue raising the cost to Russia while it wages war against Ukraine. We will continue consultations and cooperation on further restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus, bilaterally and within other formats, such as the G7+. To bolster the sanctions regime targeting Russia, we are committed to identifying and tracking the practice of sanctions circumvention through third countries’ jurisdictions, especially in Belarus, which provides support to Russia both in circumventing sanctions and as a logistical base for Russian activities in Ukraine. By imposing further restrictive measures and ensuring their implementation, we continue to demonstrate to Russia, its enablers, and other potential aggressors that starting a war is not only morally wrong, but also leads to economic consequences. We will continue to stand together against Russia’s attempts to destroy the rules-based international order.
The U.S.-Polish economic and trade partnership is strong, resilient, and expanding. The United States and Poland strive to strengthen cooperation on energy security, increase bilateral and transatlantic trade and investment, and improve supply chain resiliency in key sectors. Our governments welcome deepening collaboration with the private sector to bolster commercial ties, boost economic prosperity, and address collective challenges.
Participants in the Dialogue discussed immediate energy security concerns and the imperative of the transition to clean, safe, and sustainable energy to combat the climate crisis. The United States and Poland reaffirm their readiness to further develop our already strong cooperation in the civil-nuclear energy field. The participants welcomed progress under our Intergovernmental Agreement advancing the construction of the first large nuclear power plant in Poland by a U.S.-led consortium and Polish consideration of future sites to develop further reactor projects. Participants also took note of the efforts by private sector partnerships to develop and deploy other advanced technologies especially small modular reactors under the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation, including through the support of the State Department’s Project Phoenix.
The participants welcomed the recent launching of the Polish-U.S. Regional Clean Energy Training Center, which can contribute to the development of skills and competency of Polish workforce needed for the successful implementation of the Polish nuclear power projects. The United States and Poland intend to continue to work together to further diversify Europe’s natural gas supplies and to encourage partners in the region to follow Poland’s example in reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels as part of its clean energy transition.
The two sides also discussed expanding cooperation in the field of innovation and technology and the importance of secure 5G networks and telecommunications infrastructure. Participants welcomed opportunities for further engagement on robust, transparent investment screening to protect sensitive assets from potential national security risks that may arise as a result of certain foreign direct investments. In view of the rapidly evolving cyberthreat landscape, the United States and Poland are steadily strengthening and extending cooperation in cybersecurity in bilateral and multilateral formats and fora, including through cross-agency cyber consultations.
The United States and Poland reiterated their deep commitment to the protection and promotion of democracy, rule of law, and human rights, including support to civil society. Both parties discussed their concerns about deepening authoritarianism in Russia and Belarus, and their shared commitment to the human rights of those facing repression. The United States and Poland affirmed their commitment to expand collaboration to counter the malign influence of foreign state-sponsored information manipulation based on common approaches, such as dedicated strategies, joint initiatives, and multilateral engagement.
The two sides also exchanged views on the current situation in the Indo-Pacific and the mounting challenges the region faces, particularly those which undermine the rules-based international order. In the face of those challenges, we reaffirm our commitment to work with our partners in and beyond the region.
The 15th U.S.-Poland Strategic Dialogue was hosted by the U.S. Department of State and included interagency and inter-ministerial representatives from both governments. Polish Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Robert Kupiecki and U.S. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet jointly opened the Strategic Dialogue, which featured representatives from the Polish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Defense. On the American side, representatives participated from the Departments of State, Defense, Commerce, and Energy.
Both sides expressed a strong interest in deepening the bilateral strategic partnership in the year ahead and through future strategic dialogues. We aim to hold the next annual meeting in Warsaw in early 2025.
End Text.
No comments:
Post a Comment