‘Russia is WEAKER because of what Putin has done and NATO is stronger’, VP Kamala Harris says as she confirms Patriot missiles have been delivered to Poland and says US commitment to NATO defense is ‘iron clad’
- Harris announced US would be sending a further $50million in humanitarian aid
- VP also called for Russia to be investigated for war crimes over Ukraine invasion
- She told reporters that the US’ commitment to defending NATO is ‘iron clad’
- Standing alongside Harris, Polish President Andrzej Duda said, ‘It is obvious to us that in Ukraine Russians are committing war crimes’
Vice President Kamala Harris said Russia is weaker for invading Ukraine while NATO has only been strengthened, during a visit to Poland today where she also reaffirmed the United State’s commitment to defending the alliance’s borders.
Harris announced the arrival of two Patriot missile defense systems in the country while speaking during a press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda after the pair held a meeting to discuss the issue of Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion.
She also announced the US would be sending a further $50million to the country for humanitarian aid to go towards the growing refugee crisis, which has seen around 1.5 million Ukrainians flee across the border from Moscow’s armies.
‘I’ve said it many times – I will say it again,’ Harris said. ‘The US’ commitment to article 5 is ironclad. The US is prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory.’
‘The NATO alliance is stronger and Russia is weaker because of what Putin has done. That is very clear to us,’ she added.
The Vice President also backed calls for an international war crimes investigation of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and specifically the bombing of civilians, including a maternity hospital yesterday.
Vice President Kamala Harris said the United States’ commitment to the defense of NATO territory was ‘iron clad’ during a visit to Poland on Thursday. Pictured: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Polish President Andrzej Duda shake hands after a joint news conference at Belwelder Palace, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in Warsaw, Poland March 10, 2022
Harris expressed outrage over the bombing and scenes of bloodied pregnant women being evacuated, as well as other attacks on civilians. She stopped short of directly accusing Russia of having committed war crimes.
‘Absolutely there should be an investigation and we should all be watching,’ she said.
Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a special military operation to disarm its neighbour and remove leaders it casts as dangerous.
Harris added that Russian President Vladimir Putin has only made the NATO Western defense alliance ‘stronger’ through his country’s invasion of Ukraine.
‘The NATO alliance is stronger and Russia is weaker because of what Putin has done. That is very clear to us,’ Harris told reporters.
Standing alongside Harris, Polish President Andrzej Duda said, ‘It is obvious to us that in Ukraine Russians are committing war crimes.’
He added that in his view the invasion was ‘bearing the features of a genocide – it aims at eliminating and destroying a nation.’
Harris praised the Polish people for their generosity for taking in nearly 1.5 million refugees since Russia invaded Ukraine last month.
Standing alongside Harris, Polish President Andrzej Duda (right) said, ‘It is obvious to us that in Ukraine Russians are committing war crimes’
Already, more than 2 million refugees have fled Ukraine – with more than half coming to Poland – and even more expected to arrive in the days ahead.
Duda warned of a ‘refugee disaster’ if Poland doesn’t receive more assistance to help house and feed Ukrainians fleeing the conflict.
He said he asked Harris for the U.S. to ‘speed up’ the process for those Ukrainian refugees who would want to go to the U.S. and might have family there.
‘The United States is absolutely prepared to do what we can and what we must to support Poland, in terms of the burden that they have taken on,’ said Harris.
But differences between Warsaw and Washington over a Polish plan to send Soviet-made fighter jets to a base in Germany for Ukraine’s use have cast a shadow over Harris’ visit to Poland. Just as Harris arrived in Warsaw late Wednesday evening, the Pentagon definitively rejected the idea.
The proposal was publicly floated by Poland – without first consulting the U.S. – days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration was ‘very, very actively’ looking at a proposal under which Ukraine’s neighbour Poland would supply Kyiv with Soviet-era fighters and in turn receive American F-16s in compensation.
Pictured: Refugees with children and luggage are seen at the Uzhgorod-Vysne Nemecke checkpoint on the Ukrainian-Slovak border, Uzhhorod, western Ukraine
Polish government officials, however, insisted any transfer of planes must be done within the NATO framework.
‘In a nutshell we have to be a responsible member of the North Atlantic Alliance,’ said Duda.
On Wednesday, the Pentagon shut the door on the prospect of NATO transferring jets to Ukraine, saying such a move with a U.S. and NATO connection would run a ‘high risk’ of escalating the Russia-Ukraine war.
Harris, in her remarks, brushed aside any notion of tensions between Poland and the U.S. over how to effectively support Ukraine.
‘I want to be very clear, the United States and Poland are united in what we have done and are prepared to do to help Ukraine and the people of Ukraine, full stop,’ she said.
Gen. Tod D. Wolters, the commander of U.S. European Command, said in a statement Thursday that the ‘most effective way to support the Ukrainian military in their fight against Russia is to provide increased amounts of anti-tank weapons and air defense systems.’
That effort by the U.S. and allies is ongoing, Wolters added.
A Slovak volunteer helps with transport for Ukrainian refugees at the railway and bus station in Kosice, eastern Slovakia, on March 10, 2022
Speaking earlier during a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Harris praised the Polish people for their kindness shown to Regugees.
‘I’ve been watching or reading about the work of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and so I bring you thanks from the American people.’
The meeting came hours after the U.S. House passed a massive spending bill that includes $13.6 billion in aid for Ukraine and its European allies. The legislation includes $6.8 billion to care for refugees and other economic aid to allies.
Later Thursday, the vice president was slated to meet with Ukrainian refugees who have fled to Poland since the Russian invasion began.
Harris is also scheduled to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while in Warsaw. The Canadian leader has been in Europe in recent days meeting with allies about Ukraine.
Harris’ whirlwind visit to Poland and Romania was billed by the White House as a chance for the vice president to consult with two of the leaders from eastern flank NATO nations about the growing humanitarian crisis caused by the Russian invasion.
Harris will travel on Friday to Bucharest, where she’s to meet Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
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