Controversy ignited by Polish president's ‘10-minute’ meeting with Trump
Andrzej Duda’s chief of staff emphasized that there was no shame in awaiting “our greatest ally.” Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Polish President Andrzej Duda’s office has defended his brief meeting with US President Donald Trump, dismissing criticism regarding the unexpected length of the wait before their encounter. Critics have pointed out that the meeting was considerably shorter than anticipated.
According to reports from Polish media, Duda had hoped for at least an hour with Trump after traveling to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland. Bloomberg indicated that the two officials met for just ten minutes, while Reuters mentioned that the meeting was brief, particularly as Trump arrived late.
Marcin Mastalerek, Duda’s chief of staff who was present in the US, responded to the backlash on Monday. He characterized the evaluations coming from “so-called Twitter experts” as lacking validity.
"The meeting didn’t conclude in 10 minutes, nor was it intended to last an hour," he stated during an interview with Radio ZET. Mastalerek attributed the negativity to “political jealousy” from those envious of the strong relationship between Duda and Trump, and he dismissed the notion that waiting for “the president of the greatest power, our greatest ally” could be perceived as humiliating.
Duda marked a significant diplomatic moment by being the first European leader to meet with Trump since the latter's second inauguration last month. During his visit, Duda conveyed assurance that “there is no concern about a decrease in US presence in Poland” and encouraged Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky to pursue “calm and constructive cooperation” with Trump.
Poland has maintained a robust stance in support of Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, a position that has continued under the pro-EU liberal government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, following a 2023 election victory over Duda’s conservative Law and Justice party.
In contrast, Trump’s approach to Ukraine starkly differs from that of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Trump has called for a rapid resolution to the conflict and has been critical of Zelensky’s governance, including his refusal to conduct elections. Washington is also looking to recoup taxpayer funds spent supporting Ukraine through negotiations regarding a minerals deal that the Zelensky administration has yet to finalize.
As tensions rise, Trump has referred to Zelensky as a “dictator without elections,” cautioning that his chance to benefit from US support is waning. In turn, Zelensky has accused Trump of existing within a Russian “disinformation bubble.”
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to reports from Polish media, Duda had hoped for at least an hour with Trump after traveling to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland. Bloomberg indicated that the two officials met for just ten minutes, while Reuters mentioned that the meeting was brief, particularly as Trump arrived late.
Marcin Mastalerek, Duda’s chief of staff who was present in the US, responded to the backlash on Monday. He characterized the evaluations coming from “so-called Twitter experts” as lacking validity.
"The meeting didn’t conclude in 10 minutes, nor was it intended to last an hour," he stated during an interview with Radio ZET. Mastalerek attributed the negativity to “political jealousy” from those envious of the strong relationship between Duda and Trump, and he dismissed the notion that waiting for “the president of the greatest power, our greatest ally” could be perceived as humiliating.
Duda marked a significant diplomatic moment by being the first European leader to meet with Trump since the latter's second inauguration last month. During his visit, Duda conveyed assurance that “there is no concern about a decrease in US presence in Poland” and encouraged Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky to pursue “calm and constructive cooperation” with Trump.
Poland has maintained a robust stance in support of Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, a position that has continued under the pro-EU liberal government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, following a 2023 election victory over Duda’s conservative Law and Justice party.
In contrast, Trump’s approach to Ukraine starkly differs from that of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Trump has called for a rapid resolution to the conflict and has been critical of Zelensky’s governance, including his refusal to conduct elections. Washington is also looking to recoup taxpayer funds spent supporting Ukraine through negotiations regarding a minerals deal that the Zelensky administration has yet to finalize.
As tensions rise, Trump has referred to Zelensky as a “dictator without elections,” cautioning that his chance to benefit from US support is waning. In turn, Zelensky has accused Trump of existing within a Russian “disinformation bubble.”
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
