The United States and Poland have agreed to bolster “robust" defence ties, Trump said after meeting Duda in Washington on Tuesday.
The two countries also pledged to step up cooperation on energy projects in what Polish media described as a joint declaration on strategic partnership.
The Safeguarding Freedom, Building Prosperity Through Poland-US Strategic Partnership declaration that Duda and Trump signed at the White House maps out the path for Polish-American cooperation in the years ahead, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz told reporters after the talks.
Security and defence ties
The declaration says that a “deeper, more collaborative U.S.-Polish security partnership and enhanced U.S.-Polish resolve is critical in meeting the current security threats and challenges to our shared security, and to ensure sustained stability as well as economic prosperity and development."
The declaration adds: “This partnership is critical in light of growing security challenges characterized by aggressive Russian behavior, global proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, organized smuggling of immigrants and tensions in the Middle East.”
The document also says that Poland and the United States “will enhance co-operation and deepen our military-to-military ties, intelligence, law enforcement, and other security relations.”
The two countries pledge to “intensify joint training and exercises, strengthen cooperation among military units as well as enhance sharing of experiences and know-how, inter alia by exchanging military personnel in command structures, education centers and training facilities.”
Poland and the United States declared that they "commit to explore options for an increased U.S. military role in Poland and we will intensify our consultations to determine the concept’s feasibility."
Poland is seeking to host permanent US army bases and is ready to cover part of the costs involved, officials including President Duda have said.
A decision on the possible permanent stationing of American soldiers in Poland is likely to be made next year, a Polish official said on Tuesday.
Energy
In their declaration, Poland and the United States undertake to “enhance cooperation on energy security” and “explore new opportunities stemming from the transformation of energy markets” and to “work to ensure better energy diversification of Europe.”
The two countries also agreed to "continue to coordinate" their "efforts to counter energy projects that threaten our mutual security, such as Nord Stream 2.”
Trump in July hit out at Germany for supporting the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia across the Baltic Sea, despite opposition from some other European countries, including Poland.
The declaration says that Poland and the United States “will support expanded efforts to enhance energy cooperation and diversification.”
Trade, investment and innovation
The declaration underlines the role of “fair and equitable trade” between the two countries. “Mutually beneficial economic relations generate growth and create jobs on both sides of the Atlantic,” it says, adding that Warsaw and Washington “will work aggressively to fill the untapped potential, including through the Three Seas Initiative, which will further these goals with countries across this region of Europe.”
The Three Seas Initiative, launched by Poland and Croatia in 2015, aims to step up cooperation among 12 countries between the Black, Baltic and Adriatic Seas.
Trump has said the initiative has "great potential" to strengthen energy security and reduce trade barriers.
During a visit to Warsaw in July last year, Trump declared that America would be the “strongest ally and steadfast partner” of the Three Seas Initiative.
The Polish-US declaration signed by Duda and Trump on Tuesday also says that Warsaw and Washington “recognize the vital role" of research and innovation and that they “will support efforts to strengthen partnerships in technology and science,” while “acknowledging potential benefits stemming from the pairing U.S. investment with high-tech skills in Poland.”
(gs/pk)
Source: IAR, prezydent.pl, Twitter