MRS. TRUMP: Hello, Poland! Thank you
very much. My husband and I have enjoyed visiting your beautiful country. I
want to thank President and Mrs. Duda for the warm welcome and their generous
hospitality. I had the opportunity to visit the Copernicus Science Centre
today, and found it not only informative but thoughtful, its mission, which is
to inspire people to observe, experiment, ask questions, and seek answers.
I can think of no better purpose for
such a wonderful science center. Thank you to all who were involved in giving
us the tour, especially the children who made it such a wonderful experience.
As many of you know, a main focus of my
husband's presidency is safety and security of the American people. I think all
of us can agree people should be able to live their lives without fear, no
matter what country they live in. That is my wish for all of us around the
world. (Applause.)
Thank you again for this wonderful
welcome to your very special country. Your kindness and gracious hospitality
will not be forgotten. (Applause.)
And now it is my honor to introduce to
you my husband, the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
(Applause.)
We've come to your nation to deliver a
very important message: America loves Poland, and America loves the Polish
people. (Applause.) Thank you.
The Poles have not only greatly enriched
this region, but Polish-Americans have also greatly enriched the United States,
and I was truly proud to have their support in the 2016 election. (Applause.)
It is a profound honor to stand in this
city, by this monument to the Warsaw Uprising, and to address the Polish nation
that so many generations have dreamed of: a Poland that is safe, strong, and
free. (Applause.)
President Duda and your wonderful First
Lady, Agata, have welcomed us with the tremendous warmth and kindness for which
Poland is known around the world. Thank you. (Applause.) My sincere -- and I
mean sincerely thank both of them. And to Prime Minister Syzdlo, a very special
thanks also. (Applause.)
We are also pleased that former
President Leck Walesa, so famous for leading the Solidarity Movement, has
joined us today, also. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
On behalf of all Americans, let me also
thank the entire Polish people for the generosity you have shown in welcoming
our soldiers to your country. These soldiers are not only brave defenders of
freedom, but also symbols of America's commitment to your security and your
place in a strong and democratic Europe.
We are proudly joined on stage by
American, Polish, British, and Romanian soldiers. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank
you. Great job.
President Duda and I have just come from
an incredibly successful meeting with the leaders participating in the Three
Seas Initiative. To the citizens of this great region, America is eager to
expand our partnership with you. We welcome stronger ties of trade and commerce
as you grow your economies. And we are committed to securing your access to
alternate sources of energy, so Poland and its neighbors are never again held
hostage to a single supplier of energy. (Applause.)
Mr. President, I congratulate you, along
with the President of Croatia, on your leadership of this historic Three Seas
Initiative. Thank you. (Applause.)
This is my first visit to Central Europe
as President, and I am thrilled that it could be right here at this
magnificent, beautiful piece of land. It is beautiful. (Applause.) Poland is
the geographic heart of Europe, but more importantly, in the Polish people, we
see the soul of Europe. Your nation is great because your spirit is great and
your spirit is strong. (Applause.)
For two centuries, Poland suffered
constant and brutal attacks. But while Poland could be invaded and occupied,
and its borders even erased from the map, it could never be erased from history
or from your hearts. In those dark days, you have lost your land but you never
lost your pride. (Applause.)
So it is with true admiration that I can
say today, that from the farms and villages of your countryside to the
cathedrals and squares of your great cities, Poland lives, Poland prospers, and
Poland prevails. (Applause.)
Despite every effort to transform you,
oppress you, or destroy you, you endured and overcame. You are the proud nation
of Copernicus -- think of that -- (applause) -- Chopin, Saint John Paul II.
Poland is a land of great heroes. (Applause.) And you are a people who know the
true value of what you defend.
The triumph of the Polish spirit over
centuries of hardship gives us all hope for a future in which good conquers
evil, and peace achieves victory over war.
For Americans, Poland has been a symbol
of hope since the beginning of our nation. Polish heroes and American patriots
fought side by side in our War of Independence and in many wars that followed.
Our soldiers still serve together today in Afghanistan and Iraq, combatting the
enemies of all civilization.
For America's part, we have never given
up on freedom and independence as the right and destiny of the Polish people,
and we never, ever will. (Applause.)
Our two countries share a special bond
forged by unique histories and national characters. It's a fellowship that
exists only among people who have fought and bled and died for freedom.
(Applause.)
The signs of this friendship stand in
our nation's capital. Just steps from the White House, we've raised statues of
men with names like Pułaski and Kościuszko. (Applause.) The same is true in
Warsaw, where street signs carry the name of George Washington, and a monument
stands to one of the world's greatest heroes, Ronald Reagan. (Applause.)
And so I am here today not just to visit
an old ally, but to hold it up as an example for others who seek freedom and
who wish to summon the courage and the will to defend our civilization.
(Applause.) The story of Poland is the story of a people who have never lost
hope, who have never been broken, and who have never, ever forgotten who they
are. (Applause)
AUDIENCE: Donald Trump! Donald Trump!
Donald Trump!
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. Thank you so
much. Thank you. Thank you so much. Such a great honor. This is a nation more
than one thousand years old. Your borders were erased for more than a century
and only restored just one century ago.
In 1920, in the Miracle of Vistula,
Poland stopped the Soviet army bent on European conquest. (Applause.) Then, 19
years later in 1939, you were invaded yet again, this time by Nazi Germany from
the west and the Soviet Union from the east. That's trouble. That's tough.
Under a double occupation the Polish
people endured evils beyond description: the Katyn forest massacre, the
occupations, the Holocaust, the Warsaw Ghetto and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising,
the destruction of this beautiful capital city, and the deaths of nearly one in
five Polish people. A vibrant Jewish population -- the largest in Europe -- was
reduced to almost nothing after the Nazis systematically murdered millions of
Poland's Jewish citizens, along with countless others, during that brutal
occupation.
In the summer of 1944, the Nazi and
Soviet armies were preparing for a terrible and bloody battle right here in
Warsaw. Amid that hell on earth, the citizens of Poland rose up to defend their
homeland. I am deeply honored to be joined on stage today by veterans and
heroes of the Warsaw Uprising. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: (Chanting.)
PRESIDENT TRUMP: What great spirit. We
salute your noble sacrifice and we pledge to always remember your fight for
Poland and for freedom. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.)
This monument reminds us that more than
150,000 Poles died during that desperate struggle to overthrow oppression.
From the other side of the river, the
Soviet armed forces stopped and waited. They watched as the Nazis ruthlessly
destroyed the city, viciously murdering men, women, and children. They tried to
destroy this nation forever by shattering its will to survive.
But there is a courage and a strength
deep in the Polish character that no one could destroy. The Polish martyr,
Bishop Michael Kozal, said it well: "More horrifying than a defeat of arms
is a collapse of the human spirit."
Through four decades of communist rule,
Poland and the other captive nations of Europe endured a brutal campaign to
demolish freedom, your faith, your laws, your history, your identity -- indeed
the very essence of your culture and your humanity. Yet, through it all, you never
lost that spirit. (Applause.) Your oppressors tried to break you, but Poland
could not be broken. (Applause.)
And when the day came on June 2nd, 1979,
and one million Poles gathered around Victory Square for their very first mass
with their Polish Pope, that day, every communist in Warsaw must have known
that their oppressive system would soon come crashing down. (Applause.) They
must have known it at the exact moment during Pope John Paul II's sermon when a
million Polish men, women, and children suddenly raised their voices in a
single prayer. A million Polish people did not ask for wealth. They did not ask
for privilege. Instead, one million Poles sang three simple words: "We
Want God." (Applause.)
In those words, the Polish people
recalled the promise of a better future. They found new courage to face down
their oppressors, and they found the words to declare that Poland would be
Poland once again.
As I stand here today before this
incredible crowd, this faithful nation, we can still hear those voices that
echo through history. Their message is as true today as ever. The people of
Poland, the people of America, and the people of Europe still cry out "We
want God." (Applause.)
Together, with Pope John Paul II, the
Poles reasserted their identity as a nation devoted to God. And with that
powerful declaration of who you are, you came to understand what to do and how
to live. You stood in solidarity against oppression, against a lawless secret
police, against a cruel and wicked system that impoverished your cities and
your souls. And you won. Poland prevailed. Poland will always prevail.
(Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Donald Trump! Donald Trump!
Donald Trump!
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. You were
supported in that victory over communism by a strong alliance of free nations
in the West that defied tyranny. Now, among the most committed members of the
NATO Alliance, Poland has resumed its place as a leading nation of a Europe
that is strong, whole, and free.
A strong Poland is a blessing to the
nations of Europe, and they know that. A strong Europe is a blessing to the
West and to the world. (Applause.) One hundred years after the entry of
American forces into World War I, the transatlantic bond between the United
States and Europe is as strong as ever and maybe, in many ways, even stronger.
This continent no longer confronts the
specter of communism. But today we're in the West, and we have to say there are
dire threats to our security and to our way of life. You see what's happening
out there. They are threats. We will confront them. We will win. But they are
threats. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Donald Trump! Donald Trump!
Donald Trump!
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We are confronted by
another oppressive ideology -- one that seeks to export terrorism and extremism
all around the globe. America and Europe have suffered one terror attack after
another. We're going to get it to stop. (Applause.)
During a historic gathering in Saudi
Arabia, I called on the leaders of more than 50 Muslim nations to join together
to drive out this menace which threatens all of humanity. We must stand united
against these shared enemies to strip them of their territory and their
funding, and their networks, and any form of ideological support that they may
have. While we will always welcome new citizens who share our values and love
our people, our borders will always be closed to terrorism and extremism of any
kind. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Donald Trump! Donald Trump!
Donald Trump!
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We are fighting hard
against radical Islamic terrorism, and we will prevail. We cannot accept those
who reject our values and who use hatred to justify violence against the
innocent.
Today, the West is also confronted by
the powers that seek to test our will, undermine our confidence, and challenge
our interests. To meet new forms of aggression, including propaganda, financial
crimes, and cyberwarfare, we must adapt our alliance to compete effectively in
new ways and on all new battlefields.
We urge Russia to cease its
destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere, and its support for hostile
regimes -- including Syria and Iran -- and to instead join the community of
responsible nations in our fight against common enemies and in defense of
civilization itself. (Applause.)
Finally, on both sides of the Atlantic,
our citizens are confronted by yet another danger -- one firmly within our
control. This danger is invisible to some but familiar to the Poles: the steady
creep of government bureaucracy that drains the vitality and wealth of the
people. The West became great not because of paperwork and regulations but
because people were allowed to chase their dreams and pursue their destinies.
Americans, Poles, and the nations of
Europe value individual freedom and sovereignty. We must work together to
confront forces, whether they come from inside or out, from the South or the
East, that threaten over time to undermine these values and to erase the bonds
of culture, faith and tradition that make us who we are. (Applause.) If left
unchecked, these forces will undermine our courage, sap our spirit, and weaken
our will to defend ourselves and our societies.
But just as our adversaries and enemies
of the past learned here in Poland, we know that these forces, too, are doomed
to fail if we want them to fail. And we do, indeed, want them to fail.
(Applause.) They are doomed not only because our alliance is strong, our
countries are resilient, and our power is unmatched. Through all of that, you
have to say everything is true. Our adversaries, however, are doomed because we
will never forget who we are. And if we don't forget who are, we just can't be
beaten. Americans will never forget. The nations of Europe will never forget.
We are the fastest and the greatest community. There is nothing like our
community of nations. The world has never known anything like our community of
nations.
We write symphonies. We pursue
innovation. We celebrate our ancient heroes, embrace our timeless traditions
and customs, and always seek to explore and discover brand-new frontiers.
We reward brilliance. We strive for
excellence, and cherish inspiring works of art that honor God. We treasure the
rule of law and protect the right to free speech and free expression.
(Applause.)
We empower women as pillars of our
society and of our success. We put faith and family, not government and
bureaucracy, at the center of our lives. And we debate everything. We challenge
everything. We seek to know everything so that we can better know ourselves.
(Applause.)
And above all, we value the dignity of
every human life, protect the rights of every person, and share the hope of
every soul to live in freedom. That is who we are. Those are the priceless ties
that bind us together as nations, as allies, and as a civilization.
What we have, what we inherited from our
-- and you know this better than anybody, and you see it today with this
incredible group of people -- what we've inherited from our ancestors has never
existed to this extent before. And if we fail to preserve it, it will never,
ever exist again. So we cannot fail.
This great community of nations has
something else in common: In every one of them, it is the people, not the
powerful, who have always formed the foundation of freedom and the cornerstone
of our defense. The people have been that foundation here in Poland -- as they
were right here in Warsaw -- and they were the foundation from the very, very
beginning in America.
Our citizens did not win freedom
together, did not survive horrors together, did not face down evil together,
only to lose our freedom to a lack of pride and confidence in our values. We
did not and we will not. We will never back down. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Donald Trump! Donald Trump!
Donald Trump!
PRESIDENT TRUMP: As long as we know our
history, we will know how to build our future. Americans know that a strong
alliance of free, sovereign and independent nations is the best defense for our
freedoms and for our interests. That is why my administration has demanded that
all members of NATO finally meet their full and fair financial obligation.
As a result of this insistence, billions
of dollars more have begun to pour into NATO. In fact, people are shocked. But
billions and billions of dollars more are coming in from countries that, in my
opinion, would not have been paying so quickly.
To those who would criticize our tough
stance, I would point out that the United States has demonstrated not merely
with words but with its actions that we stand firmly behind Article 5, the
mutual defense commitment. (Applause.)
Words are easy, but actions are what
matters. And for its own protection -- and you know this, everybody knows this,
everybody has to know this -- Europe must do more. Europe must demonstrate that
it believes in its future by investing its money to secure that future.
That is why we applaud Poland for its
decision to move forward this week on acquiring from the United States the
battle-tested Patriot air and missile defense system -- the best anywhere in
the world. (Applause.) That is also why we salute the Polish people for being
one of the NATO countries that has actually achieved the benchmark for
investment in our common defense. Thank you. Thank you, Poland. I must tell
you, the example you set is truly magnificent, and we applaud Poland. Thank
you. (Applause.)
We have to remember that our defense is
not just a commitment of money, it is a commitment of will. Because as the
Polish experience reminds us, the defense of the West ultimately rests not only
on means but also on the will of its people to prevail and be successful and
get what you have to have. The fundamental question of our time is whether the
West has the will to survive. Do we have the confidence in our values to defend
them at any cost? Do we have enough respect for our citizens to protect our
borders? Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in
the face of those who would subvert and destroy it? (Applause.)
We can have the largest economies and
the most lethal weapons anywhere on Earth, but if we do not have strong
families and strong values, then we will be weak and we will not survive.
(Applause.) If anyone forgets the critical importance of these things, let them
come to one country that never has. Let them come to Poland. (Applause.) And
let them come here, to Warsaw, and learn the story of the Warsaw Uprising.
When they do, they should learn about
Jerusalem Avenue. In August of 1944, Jerusalem Avenue was one of the main roads
running east and west through this city, just as it is today.
Control of that road was crucially
important to both sides in the battle for Warsaw. The German military wanted it
as their most direct route to move troops and to form a very strong front. And
for the Polish Home Army, the ability to pass north and south across that
street was critical to keep the center of the city, and the Uprising itself,
from being split apart and destroyed.
Every night, the Poles put up sandbags
amid machine gun fire -- and it was horrendous fire -- to protect a narrow
passage across Jerusalem Avenue. Every day, the enemy forces knocked them down
again and again and again. Then the Poles dug a trench. Finally, they built a
barricade. And the brave Polish fighters began to flow across Jerusalem Avenue.
That narrow passageway, just a few feet wide, was the fragile link that kept
the Uprising alive.
Between its walls, a constant stream of
citizens and freedom fighters made their perilous, just perilous, sprints. They
ran across that street, they ran through that street, they ran under that
street -- all to defend this city. "The far side was several yards
away," recalled one young Polish woman named Greta. That mortality and
that life was so important to her. In fact, she said, "The mortally
dangerous sector of the street was soaked in the blood. It was the blood of
messengers, liaison girls, and couriers."
Nazi snipers shot at anybody who
crossed. Anybody who crossed, they were being shot at. Their soldiers burned
every building on the street, and they used the Poles as human shields for
their tanks in their effort to capture Jerusalem Avenue. The enemy never ceased
its relentless assault on that small outpost of civilization. And the Poles
never ceased its defense.
The Jerusalem Avenue passage required
constant protection, repair, and reinforcement, but the will of its defenders
did not waver, even in the face of death. And to the last days of the Uprising,
the fragile crossing never, ever failed. It was never, ever forgotten. It was
kept open by the Polish people.
The memories of those who perished in
the Warsaw Uprising cry out across the decades, and few are clearer than the
memories of those who died to build and defend the Jerusalem Avenue crossing.
Those heroes remind us that the West was saved with the blood of patriots; that
each generation must rise up and play their part in its defense -- (applause)
-- and that every foot of ground, and every last inch of civilization, is worth
defending with your life.
Our own fight for the West does not
begin on the battlefield -- it begins with our minds, our wills, and our souls.
Today, the ties that unite our civilization are no less vital, and demand no
less defense, than that bare shred of land on which the hope of Poland once
totally rested. Our freedom, our civilization, and our survival depend on these
bonds of history, culture, and memory.
And today as ever, Poland is in our
heart, and its people are in that fight. (Applause.) Just as Poland could not
be broken, I declare today for the world to hear that the West will never, ever
be broken. Our values will prevail. Our people will thrive. And our civilization
will triumph. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Donald Trump! Donald Trump!
Donald Trump!
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. So,
together, let us all fight like the Poles -- for family, for freedom, for
country, and for God.
Thank you. God Bless You. God bless the
Polish people. God bless our allies. And God bless the United States of
America.
Thank
you. God bless you. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
source: www.cnn.com
Brak komentarzy:
Prześlij komentarz