Friday, 22 August 2025
Poland was notably absent from a high-level meeting at the White House in Washington on 18 August, where U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders to discuss Ukraine’s security guarantees. Neither President Karol Nawrocki nor Prime Minister Donald Tusk were present, sparking criticism and debate within Poland.
President Nawrocki later said that the “coalition of the willing” — a group of 33 countries backing Ukraine — participated via video on 17 August, with Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski representing Poland in that call. He also emphasized that it was Zelensky who extended invitations to European leaders, implying no formal invitation was issued to Poland for the Washington meeting.
Georgette Mosbacher, a former U.S. ambassador to Poland, attributed responsibility to the president’s administration, stating: “They were waiting for an invitation to the White House.” She also highlighted the symbolism of Nawrocki’s upcoming White House visit in September, affirming Poland’s important role to the U.S.
Sources further confirmed that President Nawrocki is scheduled to meet President Trump at the White House on 3 September, with the invitation having been extended via a congratulatory note following his inauguration.
At the same time, Prime Minister Tusk remains focused on coordinating support for Ukraine through European Union mechanisms, including engaging in what he described as a “coalition of the willing” for unified political and military backing. These overlapping approaches have exposed a growing rift in how Poland executes foreign policy, with both leaders sending conflicting signals, and critics warning of a divided national voice.
Source: Warsaw Enterprise Institute (WEI)
