Polish president meets privately with Trump in New York

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump greets Polish President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in New York, U.S., April 17, 2024. REUTERS/David ‘Dee’ Delgado

WARSAW (Reuters) -Polish President Andrzej Duda said he met privately with former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during his visit to New York on Wednesday.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump greets Polish President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in New York, U.S., April 17, 2024. REUTERS/David ‘Dee’ Delgado

The Trump campaign described the two men as “great friends” said in readout of the meeting that they discussed a proposal by Duda that NATO countries spend a minimum of 3% of their GDP on defense.

Duda, whose term in office expires in 2025, was one of Trump’s preferred international partners during his presidency.

“I was invited by Donald Trump to his private apartment, so to speak… this is simply a private meeting in connection with my presence here in New York,” Duda told reporters in New York.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump steps out to greet Polish President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in New York, U.S., April 17, 2024. REUTERS/David ‘Dee’ Delgado

Trump, who is on trial in New York over accusations that he covered up a “hush money” payment to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, is in a tight race against President Joe Biden, a Democrat, ahead of the November presidential election.

Many European leaders have long been nervous that another Trump presidency would mean waning U.S. support for Poland’s neighbor Ukraine and the NATO military alliance.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump is greeted by Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw, Poland, July 6, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

“President Trump fondly recalled his landmark trip to Poland in 2017 and praised the Polish people for steadfast defense of their sovereignty and to their commitment to the security of Europe’s borders from any and all threats,” the Trump campaign said in the readout.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for a joint news conference with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 24, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

(Reporting by Alan Charlish and Karol Badohal; additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Gerry Doyle)