U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Polish President Andrzej Duda attend a joint press conference in Warsaw, Poland, July 6, 2017. (Xinhua/Chen Xu)
WARSAW, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday called Poland a "true ally and partner", saying U.S. alliance with Poland and NATO remains key element in avoidance of conflict.
"We have never been closer to Poland, Poland is not only a great friend of the United States but a true ally and partner," Trump told a joint press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda.
"Our strong alliance with Poland and NATO remains a key element in the avoidance of conflict," he added.
The U.S. president also said Poland has become a UN Security Council member in a key moment and that it was time for all NATO countries to bear the right costs.
He praised Poland as one of the few countries fulfilling their financial obligations and commitments, and "even surpassing it."
Trump also said he strongly supported the Three Seas initiative and that America was ready to help Poland and other European countries to diversify their energy suppliers so that they would never "be held hostage and dependent on one supplier."
"President Donald Trump's visit highlights our ties and the high quality of the alliance between Poland and the United States," Polish President Andrzej Duda said, adding that both the United States and Trump thought very seriously about the security of Poland.
Duda said that among the topics raised during his face-to-face meeting with Trump are regional security, presence of American soldiers in Poland, tightening economic cooperation and U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) transports.
"I hope that a long-term contract for the supply of LNG will be signed soon and that this important raw material will be diversified," Duda said.
"Poland may become an LNG hub, and this concept will be also brought up within the framework of Three Seas Initiative," the Polish president said.
He also expressed hope that Poland would be able to implement cohesion policy in cooperation with the United States on a win-win basis, beneficially for the U.S. and for the countries of the Three Seas Initiative.
The morning meeting of presidents was followed by plenary talks of the Polish and U.S. delegations.
Further same day, Trump will attend the transatlantic session of the Three Seas summit. At 1:00 p.m. local time he will make a speech to the Polish people at Krasinskich Square in the Warsaw city center.
Trump arrived in Warsaw on Wednesday evening. On Thursday afternoon, the U.S. president will leave for Germany.
