President Andrzej Duda arrived in New York yesterday to participate in the 77th UN General Assembly (UNGA) ahead of meetings with US President Joe Biden and other world leaders.
Duda was scheduled to address the General Assembly late Tuesday night, along with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
During an earlier press briefing with reporters, Duda presented his speaking points, repeatedly emphasizing that “Ukraine must regain control of its borders” and “the war must end with the withdrawal of Russian troops.”
Asked about the referendums scheduled to be held later this week in the Russian-occupied areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, the Polish president described them as “a joke.” Poles “know well the value of referendums staged by Russia in areas under its occupation,” Duda explained, calling the vote “worthless,” with results “decided at the Kremlin, not through voting.”
On Tuesday, Russian-installed separatists in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region said they planned to hold a referendum on joining Russia from September 23-27, with other occupied provinces declaring they would do the same.
Many countries, including the US, the UK, and Poland, have already declared they will not recognize the referenda, which Ukrainian officials claim stem mainly from Russia’s “fear of defeat.”
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland, PAP
The Port of Gdynia is currently hosting representatives of the maritime industry, businesses, port workers, scientists, and cultural activists as part of the annual Maritime Economy Congress in connection with the 100th anniversary of the port.
Admission to all panels and events today is free and requires no prior registration. From 22-23 September, the IX Forum of the Transport Corridor of the Baltic-Adriatic Forum will also take place in the Port of Gdynia Authority concert hall at ulica Rotterdamska 9, with registration available on the Port of Gdynia website.
Additional details and a link to the full program are available at: www.port.gdynia.pl/kongres-gospodarki-morskiej-portu-gdynia-im-tadeusza-wendy/
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
The Gdańsk Museum recently announced it will be offering free Polish-language courses for Ukrainian citizens starting in October.
Courses will be offered for groups of 13-15 adults at the A2.1 and A2.2 levels, with a focus on everyday communication. Classes will be held weekly on Saturdays or Sundays at the Main Town Hall on Długa Street.
Interested participants must first take an assessment exam scheduled for this Saturday, September 24. As the number of places is limited, candidates should send an SMS with their full name and desired course level to the Gdańsk Museum at 576 805 085.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
The Polish national football team is reportedly busy training ahead of its upcoming UEFA Nations League games against the Netherlands and Wales.
The lineup for the next two matches includes star striker Robert Lewandowski, FIFA’s world player of the year for 2020 and 2021, and other regulars such as Napoli midfielder Piotr Zieliński and Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny.
Fresh faces include Ludogorets Razgrad midfielder Jakub Piotrowski and Lech Poznań winger Michał Skóraś.
Now in its third iteration, the Nations League allows national teams to play against similarly-ranked clubs and may also offer an alternative route to qualification for the 2024 European championships.
Poland is currently ranked third in Group A4 in the Nations League, three points behind Belgium and six behind group leaders the Netherlands.
Poland will face the Netherlands at Stadium Narodowy in Warsaw Thursday at 20:45.
Source: Radio Poland
UEFA officials announced yesterday that Russia will not be allowed to compete in the 2024 European Football Championship due to the Kremlin’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
The decision was made by UEFA’s Executive Committee at a meeting in Croatia on Tuesday, with UEFA officials declaring that Russia “will not be included in the UEFA European Football Championship 2022-24 qualifying draw” set to take place in Frankfurt on October 9.
Russia has already been banned from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar following protests led by the Polish Football Association (PZPN) and teams from the Czech Republic and Sweden. Russian clubs have also been excluded from the 2022/23 Champions League, Liga Europa, and the Europa Conference League.
Source: Radio Poland, uefa.com
Weather
Today will be mostly cloudy, with a chance for rain showers throughout the day and a very light breeze coming in from the northwest. Temperatures will stay on the cool side, with a high of 14°C, or 58°F, dropping to a low of 9°C or 49°F overnight. Cool temps and cloudy weather will remain through tomorrow, with a chance for warmer temps and clearer skies heading into the weekend.
Elizabeth Peck
