President Obama Meets With President Kaczynski and PM Tusk in Prague

6 April 2009

President Obama Meets With President Kaczynski and PM Tusk in Prague

President Barack Obama met with Polish President Lech Kaczynski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Prague April 5, and expressed his appreciation that they made time to see him together. The three leaders discussed a full range of issues, including our strategic partnership. The President underscored his support for missile defense, provided that it is proven, provided that it is cost-effective, and provided that the threat against which it is designed – namely Iran with long-range missiles and a nuclear weapons program – remains. The President also discussed his support for Polish defense modernization, including, as scheduled under the prior administration, for a Patriot battery in Poland, and more generally for Polish defense modernization. Given the successful climate change conference in Poznan late last year, the President underscored his continued support for energy independence, for very robust steps toward combating climate change and for our continuing to work together on these issues. President Obama also expressed his interest in being able one day to accept the Polish leaders’ invitation and travel to Poland, but did not yet agree to any particular dates.