US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a surprise visit to Kyiv yesterday, where he met with Ukrainian leadership and announced an additional USD 1 billion in aid to Ukraine.
According to Reuters, roughly USD 665 million of this sum is military and civilian support in the field of security, with Blinken promising during a press conference on Wednesday that the US would “continue to stand by Ukraine.”
Earlier in the day, US officials announced a new USD 175 million arms package for Ukraine’s defense against Russia, including depleted uranium tank ammunition for Abrams tanks and ammunition for HIMARS rocket systems.
According to a statement released by the US Department of Defense, the new security assistance package includes additional air defense equipment, artillery rounds, and anti-tank weapons to help Ukraine counter Russia’s unprovoked invasion.
Overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, Russia launched another massive missile and drone attack targeting the capital of Kyiv and the region of Odesa, according to reports from the Ukrainian Air Force.
At least one person was reportedly killed as a result of the attacks, adding to the rising death toll from a missile attack Wednesday morning on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka. As of Wednesday evening, at least 17 civilians had reportedly been killed and 32 injured.
Today is day 561 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Polskie Radio, Associated Press
Polish President Andrzej Duda joined a host of other European leaders in Romania yesterday to kick off a summit of the Three Seas Initiative in the Romanian capital of Bucharest.
The gathering focused on efforts to strengthen regional ties and security amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to officials, along with regional infrastructure projects, such as gas interconnectors and the Via Carpathia transnational highway network.
In a press conference following Wednesday’s meetings, Duda praised “the success of this summit,” pointing to the accession of Greece to the initiative and the inclusion of Moldova and Ukraine, “two countries on the path to joining the EU…as associate participating states.”
Among those invited to take part were US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who addressed the gathering via video link.
The Polish-led Three Seas Initiative aims to boost infrastructure, energy, and business ties among thirteen countries located between the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic Seas.
The initiative brings together Poland, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and now Greece.
Source: Polskie Radio
Poland’s central bank has trimmed key interest rates by 75 basis points, in the first change to the country’s interest rate regime in a year, amid signs of subsiding inflation.
The move by the Polish central bank’s rate-setting Monetary Policy Council means that the reference rate will be lowered from 6.75 percent, established in September of 2022, to 6.0 percent, effective today.
Last year, the panel delivered nearly a dozen rate hikes in an effort to contain surging consumer prices, with key interest rates raised for the 11th consecutive time last September, when the reference rate was increased by 25 basis points, from 6.50 percent to 6.75 percent.
Inflation in Poland stood at 10.1 percent last month, down from 10.8 percent in July, according to a flash estimate by Poland’s Central Statistical Office (GUS).
The Polish central bank (NBP) said in its latest Inflation Report, released on July 10, that inflation would average 11.9 percent this year, followed by 5.2 percent in 2024 and 3.6 percent in 2025.
Source: Polskie Radio, Radio Gdańsk
Some 250 sailors are set to compete in the Olympic-class Polish Sailing Championships, which kicked off today in the Pomeranian coastal city of Puck.
During the competition, Puck Bay will host a variety of vessels, including boats from the 49er, 49erFX, 470, ILCA 6, ILCA 7 classes, and iQFoil windsurfing boards.
Poland’s top sailors, including Olympic medalists and World and European Championships winners, are set to compete alongside up-and-coming Polish youth.
According to Tomasz Chamera, president of the Polish Sailing Association, the Polish Championships are “one of the few occasions for the best Polish sailors to compete together in Polish waters” and a chance for those competing for personal Olympic qualifications to “show superiority over their direct rivals.”
Notable competitors include Łukasz Przybytek and Jacek Piasecki (49er), Dominik Buksak and Szymon Wierzbicki (49er), Agata Barwińska (ILCA 6), Wiktoria Gołębiowska (ILCA 6), Maja Dziarnowska (iQFoil), Zofia Klepacka (iQFoil), Radoslaw Furmański (iQFoil), Aleksandra Melzacka and Sandra Jankowiak (49erFX), among others.
The regatta officially begins Thursday, September 7, with medalists set to be announced on Sunday, September 10.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
The Polish men’s volleyball team defeated Montenegro 3-0 in their final group-stage EuroVolley match in Skopje last night to advance to the Round of 16 to be held in Italy.
Poland will face off against Belgium on Sunday for a place in the quarterfinals of the men’s European Volleyball Championships as the White and Reds look to extend their five-match winning streak.
The 2023 European Volleyball Championships will run until September 16.
Source: Polskie Radio, eurovolley.cev.eu
Weather
Today will be a mix of sun and clouds with only a slight chance of rain and a light breeze coming from the east. Temperatures will be similar to yesterday, with an afternoon high of 23°C or 73°F, dropping to a low of 13°C or 55°F overnight. Noticeably warmer weather is expected tomorrow, with high temps and generally fair weather expected over the weekend.
Elizabeth Peck/raf
