Washington — President Obama reaffirmed the “enduring commitment” of the United States to the security of Poland and other NATO allies and announced a $1 billion fund to increase U.S. military deployments to Europe to bolster military readiness on the continent. Speaking with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski in Warsaw June 3, Obama said the United States is upholding its commitment to the collective defense of NATO allies and called on all members to “carry their share and truly invest in the capabilities of the alliance that are needed for the future.” Under Obama’s initiative, the United States would increase the number of American military personnel on rotation through its Central and Eastern European allies, preposition additional military equipment in Europe, and expand exercises and training to increase military readiness. The president urged the U.S. Congress to approve up to $1 billion in support of the initiative, which he said will be “a powerful demonstration of America’s unshakable commitment to our NATO allies.” NATO effectiveness depends on “how we are working collectively together to make sure that when any NATO member is threatened, all of us can respond rapidly — whether it’s through air, sea, or land,” he said. Obama acknowledged that Russia’s occupation of Crimea and its activities in eastern Ukraine have added “a sense of urgency” to the upcoming NATO summit in Wales and have threatened international principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty and freedom. President Obama added, “If Russia is observing basic international law and principles, there should be cooperation between Russia and NATO; where Russia violates international law and international principle, NATO will stand firm in asserting those principles.” At the same time, the president emphasized, “We are interested in good relations with Russia; we are not interested in threatening Russia.” But “we also believe that the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty have to be respected, [and] that Russia has violated them,” he said. Obama said Russia stands to face further economic sanctions if “we continue to see Russia actively destabilizing one of its neighbors in the way that we’ve seen of late. TRADE, ENERGY SECURITY ALSO DISCUSSED In addition to European security enhancements and the situation in Ukraine, the president and Polish leaders also discussed the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), and ways to facilitate potential energy exports from the United States to Europe. In his remarks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk June 3, Obama said Poland has been a supporter of an ambitious trans-Atlantic trade agreement, which would also facilitate U.S. natural gas exports to the country and other TTIP partners. He noted Poland’s economic progress over the past 25 years and the difficult reforms it required. “But as you drive through Warsaw, you see that Poland is a country on the move, one with one of the largest and fastest-growing economies in Europe, a manufacturing powerhouse and a hub of high-tech innovation,” Obama said.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Jun 2014 05:24:53 +0000
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