President Andrzej Duda along with the first lady met with the soldiers of the Polish military contingent stationed in Turkey as part of the NATO mission to monitor security in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea regions.
This is the youngest Polish military contingent and was activated in early May 2021 as a response to Turkey’s call for aid from NATO allies due to the worsening security situation.
“We bring security, peace, friendship and readiness to stand side by side with our allies. This is exactly what you’re doing in Turkey,” the president told the soldiers.
Duda thanked the troops for undertaking the mission and emphasized that Turkey needed their support and proof of allied presence, also in the form of Polish support.
He was confident that the Polish contingent would rise up to the challenge and fulfil all of their tasks as excellently as they had during their previous mission in Sicily.
“We are all very lucky, us Poles, that today we have our own free, sovereign and independent homeland which is growing stronger and is becoming more important in Europe and the world. We have our army and soldiers who have proved themselves in many areas by showing their bravery, responsibility and perfect training,” he said.
The president noted that Poland also has allies ready to stand in its defense and is part of the largest and most powerful defense alliance in the world in the form of NATO.
As part of the ceremony, president Duda handed over a Polish flag to the contingent’s commander lieutenant Cezary Kurkowski.
The Chancellery of the President shared photos from the event on social media:
“The presidential couple has visited the soldiers of the Polish Military Contingent which is stationed in Turkey in the Incirlik military base as part of the NATO mission for monitoring security in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea basin.”
?? Para Prezydencka odwiedziła żołnierzy Polskiego Kontyngentu Wojskowego, który stacjonuje w Turcji w ramach misji NATO monitorowania bezpieczeństwa w basenie Morza Czarnego i Morza Śródziemnego.
? Baza wojskowa w Incirlik pic.twitter.com/vyHqNCnf9o
— Kancelaria Prezydenta (@prezydentpl) May 25, 2021
Title Image: Presidential Couple visits Polish Military Contingent stationed in Turkey. Source: Chancellery of the President of Poland Twitter Photographer: Jakub Szymczuk
