Trump visits Poland and not everyone is happy about it
President Trump arrived in Poland Wednesday and will give a speech Thursday before heading to the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg. The trip raised concerns in Europe. Here’s why. DIPLOMATIC COUP? Poland has one of the most right-wing governments in Europe. The ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) has a broad, anti-liberal agenda that opposition parties, the European Union and others allege is endangering the ex-communist country’s young democracy. PiS has sought to limit the ability of the courts to operate independently, crack down on dissenting media and pursue conservative polices on abortion and gay rights.
Polish leadership sees Trump’s visit as a diplomatic coup because it indicates tacit approval for its policies, and comes before he meets with leaders of staunch U.S. allies Britain, France and Germany. MORE HEAT ON CLIMATE As part of his visit to Warsaw, Trump will meet with President Andrzej Duda and speak at the Three Seas Conference, a forum convened by Poland for Central European, Baltic and Western Balkan countries to find ways to boost trade and cooperate on infrastructure projects.
A key talking point will be how these countries can reduce the region’s dependence on Russian energy. Poland already has begun importing more liquefied natural gas from the United States, and Trump will almost certainly use his address to boast about the benefits for American business.
However, he may also use the speech to claim that the U.S. is not alone in its disapproval of the Paris accord to combat global warming. Poland, one of the largest greenhouse-gas emitters in the region, has found the move from coal to clean energy difficult and clashed with the EU over global-warming mitigation laws. POLAND, YOU’RE OK Trump often criticizes NATO members for failing to meet the military alliance’s 2% of GDP defense spending goal. But Poland is one of five out of 29 NATO countries that meet the alliance’s goal.
White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster said Trump will deliver a “major” foreign policy speech in Warsaw’s Krasinski Square that will “praise Polish courage” and its “emergence as a European power.” MAKE POLAND GREAT AGAIN Bonikowska of the CIS said the Polish government would make sure that large cheering crowds are on hand for Trump’s visit and his speech in Krasinski Square, which will be broadcast live on Polish television. She said the country is divided over Trump’s presidency, like in the U.S., with some admiring his outspokenness and others viewing him as arrogant.
Mateusz Klinowski, a Polish mayor, said Poland’s ruling party is made up of ultra-populists similar to Trump’s America First nationalism. “Our government thinks that Poland has to rise, to be great again, the same as Trump.”
“Our government thinks that Poland has to rise, to be great again, the same as Trump.” Mateusz Klinowski, a Polish mayor