Former President Donald Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda sat down for a dinner meeting on Wednesday. During their conversation, they delved into various topics, including the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the matter of NATO spending.
The Trump campaign provided a readout stating that the dinner lasted for two and a half hours and was held at Trump’s apartment in Trump Tower. The former president is currently staying there while attending his New York hush money trial.
“We had an incredible four years together,” Trump expressed to reporters, as he stood alongside Duda in the bustling Trump Tower lobby. “There is a possibility that we may have to replicate this success once more.”
During the trial, Trump has chosen to attend the proceedings in person. However, it is worth noting that the trial typically takes a break on Wednesdays throughout its expected duration of at least six weeks.
During the meeting, Trump and Duda discussed the proposal put forward by the Polish president for NATO countries to increase their defense spending to 3 percent of their gross domestic product. This stance was also highlighted by Duda in an opinion piece published in the Washington Post last month. In the article, Duda emphasized the need for NATO to be prepared to counter Russia’s imperialistic ambitions and aggressive revisionism, which he believes are leading Moscow towards a direct confrontation with the alliance.
Trump has refused to commit to protecting NATO, stating that he would only offer support if the countries in the alliance spend a minimum of 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense.
During their meeting, Trump’s campaign mentioned that they had a discussion about the conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas. However, no further details were provided regarding these topics.
In recent months, Donald Trump has engaged in a series of conversations with world leaders, reflecting his ongoing engagement in international affairs. As part of these interactions, he has had dinner with Polish President Andrzej Duda. This meeting follows other notable discussions Trump has had, including conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a dinner with British foreign secretary David Cameron. Additionally, he has met with Argentine President Javier Milei and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. These discussions have covered a range of topics, with Cameron mentioning that he and Trump discussed funding for Ukraine.
Trump and Duda have always had a close bond. At one point, Duda even suggested naming a military base in Poland “Fort Trump.” Additionally, Duda visited the White House in 2020 during Trump’s campaign for reelection.
However, Duda, whose term expires in 2025, has been urging the Biden administration to offer increased assistance to Ukraine, a country that shares a border with Poland. This stance could potentially create tension between Duda and Trump, as the former has openly lauded Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, describing it as “genius” and “savvy.”
In the previous month, Duda and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had a meeting with Biden to discuss the possibility of sending weapons to Kyiv. Despite the ongoing political feud between conservative Duda and center-right Tusk in Poland, the Polish leaders traveled to Washington with a common goal – to urge the White House and Congress to provide support to Ukraine during its conflict with Russia.
During his visit in March, Duda also had a meeting with Speaker Mike Johnson, who is currently advocating for a comprehensive proposal to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. Biden is in favor of Johnson’s plan, and Trump, during a joint event with Johnson at Mar-A-Lago, mentioned that he is considering providing aid to Ukraine, albeit potentially in the form of a loan rather than a grant.
