During a visit to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa—a Polish American Roman Catholic shrine in Pennsylvania—Andrzej Duda said on Sunday that a strong America was crucial for Europe and, in particular, Poland.
Voters of Central and Eastern European descent have become highly sought after in the final weeks of the race between Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee.
Pennsylvania, in particular, is home to a sizeable Ukrainian American and Polish American population. As the state is among the most competitive in the nation, this demographic could help determine the outcome of the election.
Addressing the audience at the shrine, Duda said: “You [Polish Americans] live far away; your voice is important for Poland, for its security, for its survival… Your political strength, your votes cast in American elections, decide the future of America but also the future of Poland.
“I ask you to go to the American elections. Not only the upcoming presidential election, but every election, so that the strength of the Polish community in America determines the strength of the homeland.”
Duda had been invited to the shrine to unveil a new memorial to the Polish anti-communist workers’ “Solidarity” movement, which fought to overthrow Poland’s communist regime in the 1980s. The Polish president had been planning to attend the unveiling ceremony with ally Trump. However, the Duda-Trump meeting was canceled.
On Monday, Marcin Mastalerek, head of the Polish president’s office, told private Polish broadcaster RMF FM that “security issues” were the reason for the cancellation.
“It is a huge area. And this was a few days after the second assassination attempt on Trump,” Mastalerek added.
Meanwhile, Trump took to the social media platform Truth Social, which he owns, to say: “This is a wonderful day for our amazing PolishAmerican community.
“My great friend, Polish President Andrzej Duda, is at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, to honor and remember the brave heroes who fought for Poland’s independence after World War II.”
A Who’s Who of foreign leaders have been arriving in the United States for the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, with the most high-profile week opening on Tuesday.
Asked whether Duda would meet Trump in New York, Mastalerek said there were no plans for such a meeting. “A meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden would certainly take place on Wednesday, during the U.S. president’s annual reception for world leaders,” Mastalerek added.
The 2024 United States presidential election is set to be held on November 5.
