“America loves Poland, America loves the Polish people!”
These were the words of US President Donald Trump at a meeting in Washington with Polish President Andrzej Duda, in June.
Trump”s leadership style has fostered huge support in Poland, with both US and Polish presidents claiming that the current relations between the countries are “at the best they have ever been”.
Closer personal relations, removal of the requirement for visas for Polish people by the Trump administration, as well as a common geopolitical view helped bring about closer ties between the two countries.
The move is a direct answer to “Russia’s actions and destabilizing behavior” according to Trump, and the Poles now see the US as an ally they can count on.
The presence of US soldiers, the awarding of multi-billion dollar military and fuel contracts are good for the economic and geopolitical security of Poland.
But some experts are showing concern over the next American presidential elections and the future of this friendship.
“It’s with some concern that I noted a slight neglect of relations with the Democrats by the Polish authorities,” said Andrzej Mania, a specialist on American affairs at the Jagiellonian University Krakow.
“This is one of two powerful political structures, and let us remember that many democratic politicians were very friendly towards Poland,” he added.
However, other experts are convinced that a potential victory for Joe Biden will not change much in Polish-American relations.
“I am convinced that whether it is Trump or Biden, these Polish-American relations will remain very good and even a democratic president will not withdraw NATO troops,” Dr. Pawel Laidler, Vice-Director of the Institute of American Studies at Jagiellonian University told Euronews.
On the contrary, the possible nomination of the Democratic nominee will probably strengthen the Alliance’s flank.
While Americans have little influence on who will become the president of Poland, Poles living in the US do have an influence on who will be the next host of the White House.
With nearly 10 million people of Polish origin living in the US, every candidate for the American presidency must take their vote into account.
