President Joe Biden on Tuesday hosted the president and prime minister of Poland at the White House to mark the 25th anniversary of the country – currently on the front line of the war in Ukraine – joining the NATO alliance.
Biden, a former member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, kicked off the sit-down in the White House’s East Room reflecting on Poland’s ascension to the alliance 25 years ago, telling those in attendance “some of you may remember I was very involved in that happening.”
Polish President Andrzej Duda later thanked Biden for supporting his country’s entrance as a senator.
The president went on to praise Poland for spending 4% of its GDP on defense, double the 2% target for NATO members.
Duda on Tuesday reiterated his call for other members of the NATO alliance to raise their spending on defense to 3% of their GDP as Russia puts its own economy on a war footing and pushes forward with its plans to conquer Ukraine.
The meeting marked the third White House stop by a European leader in recent weeks -- this time from a country that borders Ukraine -- looking to ensure the U.S. continues to support Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion. Germany’s Olaf Scholz and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni both recently made the trip.
With Biden’s request to lawmakers on Capitol Hill for billions in assistance to Ukraine still in limbo, the president used the top of Tuesday’s meeting to once again urge the House to take up the Senate-passed foreign assistance bill.
“Congress must pass the bipartisan national security bill now, which includes urgent funding for Ukraine,” Biden said. “We must act before it literally is too late – before it's too late.”
The bill, which includes aid to Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific was passed by the Senate and is awaiting any sign of action from GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in the lower chamber – a prospect that does not appear promising.
Coinciding with Biden’s sit-down, the U.S. on Tuesday also announced a $300 million package of weapons to Ukraine. In December, the U.S. announced what it said was its last drawdown of funds without additional funding approved by Congress. Tuesday’s $300 million package, officials said, comes from cost savings in some contracts.
"It's not nearly enough what we are announcing today," Biden made clear.
The president on Tuesday also praised his fellow leaders for allowing one million Ukrainian refugees into Poland.
Earlier on Tuesday, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan noted Biden would also use the meeting to inform the leaders that the U.S. plans to move forward with a foreign military financing loan that will help Poland purchase 96 Apache helicopters. The State Department approved the sale last year.
The sit-down celebrating the anniversary of a NATO ally's ascension into the alliance – taking place just days after NATO welcomed its 32nd member, Sweden – also gave the president a prime opportunity to contrast his views with that of former President Donald Trump, his 2020 rival who is more than likely to face Biden again in November.
Biden gave zero doubts about where he stands on the importance of the NATO alliance and the key article that allies will protect one another.
“An attack on a single inch of soil of a NATO partner is an attack on all of us and that is what keeps us all safe in my view,” Biden emphasized on Tuesday.
It stands in contrast with Trump’s assertion last month that he would encourage Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to NATO member countries that do not contribute enough to military spending. Article 5 of the NATO treaty stipulates that an armed attack against one member country is an armed attack against all allies.
Biden’s reelection campaign jumped on the former president’s comment, running an ad highlighting the remarks in battleground states. The president called the comment “dumb,” “shameful,” “dangerous,” and “un-American” from the White House.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.