Poland and the Trump victory
All are ready to work with Trump, but Ukraine may be a problem
By Robert Strybel, Warsaw Correspondent
WARSAW–Almost to the very end, the tight race to the White House of Vice-President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump was a toss-up. When the dust had settled and it became official that Trump had won, the Polish political class sent out congratulatory messages in line with diplomatic protocol. Already during the election campaign both of the country’s opposing political blocs made it known that they were ready to work with whomever American voters choose. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who privately had favored the Democrats, officially wrote: “I am counting on cooperation with the new American administration for the good of the American and Polish Nation.”
President Andrzej Duda, who had privately indicated his preference for the Republican agenda and on more than one occasion had referred to Trump as “my good friend, wrote: “Congratulations, Mister President Donald Trump. You made it happen!” He went on to thank Polish Americanss and Poles who voted in the election: You took responsibility for America’s future into your own hands. Let it be great with benefit for you and also for the security and prosperity of Poland.”
Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the conservative Law & Justice (L&J) party that lost power in 2023, did not mince words when he said; “I am extreme happy over the victory.” He also did not miss an opportunity to take a swipe at his arch-rival saying: “Without a doubt Donald Tusk is an advocate of the Russo-German policy of pushing America out of Europe. From Poland’s point of view that is more than suicidal,
When news of Trump’s victory was announced in the Sejm, the main lawmaking chamber of Poland’s parliament, the L&J MPs broke into thunderous applause and gave the newly elected US President a many-minute-long standing ovation. When the applause died down they started chanting “Do-nald Trump, Do-nald Trump…” The Trump victory is also seen as a major morale boost energizing L&J which still lacks a credible candidate for next May’s Polish presidential election.
The downside of a Trump presidency could be his policy towards embattled Ukraine which is valiantly resisting the Russian invaders despite its dwindling supply of personnel, arms and ammunition. Trump has boasted that the could end the war with a single phone call, but it is abundantly clear that would require Ukraine’s capitulation and loss of significant territory.
Rather than facing the problem head on, some Polish politicians are philosophically consoling themselves that what a candidate says during an election campaign does not necessarily have to occur once he is in office. “We’ll just have to wait and see and hope for the best,” they explain.