Poland in NATO

A medical mission from Warsaw’s Military Institute of Medicine departed for Chicago on Thursday (23 April 2020), in order to help with the daily fight against COVID-19, and to exchange lessons learned and best practices.

“In times when all nations grapple with exceptional difficulties, what we need most is solidarity. I believe that mutual support will allow us to endure the hard times and hurry up the end of the COVID-19 crisis," said Deputy Minister Marcin Przydacz during a ceremony to donate medical supplies to Spain. The ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Poland Francisco Javier Sanabria Valderrama.

- Currently our most urgent challenge is the COVID-19 pandemic. NATO's activity in this area is an opportunity to highlight the coherence and value of transatlantic ties. It is very encouraging that the number of examples of assistance among allies is increasing - said Mariusz Błaszczak, the Minister of National Defence during a video conference of NATO Defence Ministers.

On 10 April 2010, a special TU-154M plane with the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński and the First Lady Maria Kaczyńska on board took off from Warsaw to Smolensk. On that very day the members of the official delegation were to participate in the ceremonies taking place in the Katyn War Cemetery, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the crime committed there. The aircraft carried 96 people, including members of the highest state authorities, representatives of various social circles and religious denominations, high-ranking military commanders and the plane’s crew. All the flight passengers died in the air disaster which took place during landing at the airport near Smolensk.

“I deeply believe that mutual help and solidarity will guide us through the current crisis. This is a test for our European solidarity,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz during the inauguration of assistance programme for Italy, which was held on the premises of Polfa Tarchomin pharmaceutical plant. Today, 7 April 2020, a load of medical supplies for Italian health service was shipped from Warsaw.

- NATO member states should share their experiences in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and help each other, because no one will solve this problem alone. NATO civil and military structures can play a greater role in responding to the current epidemiological threat - said Minister Jacek Czaputowicz during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, held in the form of a video conference.

Today, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Jens Stoltenberg announced the appointment of politicians and experts to NATO’s Reflection Group. Poland will be represented by Minister Anna Fotyga, who was put forward for the position by the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Today the Republic of North Macedonia has officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. We would like to congratulate the country’s government and citizens on a successful conclusion of the accession process.

Poland considers as illegal the so-called “presidential elections” held on Georgian territory of Abkhazia by separatist authorities in Sokhumi on March 22, 2020, and we do not recognize their results. We strongly condemn all actions undertaken at the occupied territories without the consent of the government in Tbilisi.