Duda: Our task is to defend Ukraine

The West must preserve peace and defend Ukraine – an ally that is not a member of NATO and the EU – from the aggressive actions of Russia.

"Our great task is to protect international law, to protect the territorial integrity of countries that are not members of the EU or NATO, but are our allies. I mean Ukraine – a country whose people want freedom, independence, sovereignty," President of Poland Andrzej Duda said at a joint press briefing with the leaders of the Weimar Triangle (Poland, Germany, France) in Berlin on February 8, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

According to him, now is the most difficult situation for NATO and the EU since 1989. Duda pointed to the unprecedented deployment of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine and large-scale military exercises in Belarus which will last until February 20.

Duda believes that the Weimar Triangle leaders must find a way out of this difficult situation to avoid war: “This is the main task, and I believe we will do it. What is most important now is our unity and solidarity. We need to show that we speak with one voice, that we are a community, that we cannot be broken, and that we do not back down.”

The Polish leader added that the West must not retreat and leave someone in the throes of Russia.

"We need a wise but decisive position, and I believe that we will be able to develop such a position," Duda summed up.

The Weimar Triangle summit was held in Berlin on Tuesday for the first time in six years, with the participation of President of Poland Andrzej Duda, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and President of France Emmanuel Macron. The main topic of the talks was the security situation around Ukraine.

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