Former NATO leader Anders Fogh Rasmussen has warned that Putin will not stop with Ukraine and repeated calls to Western leaders to step up military aid.

Speaking in a media interview published over the weekend, Rasmussen said that NATO allies should step up their deliveries of weapons and other military equipment to Ukraine, including the „immediate delivery of combat drones” along with „anti-tank, antiaircraft weapons.”

In his comments, Rasmussen pointed to „lessons learned from history,” praising the „unprecedented European and transatlantic unity” and „unprecedented sanctions imposed on Russia.” He went on to advocate for „going even further” and „cut[ing] off all imports of oil and gas from Russia immediately.”

The suggestion has reportedly been welcomed by both Poland and the United States, who condemned a Russian attack on a Ukrainian military base near the Polish border on Sunday.

Source: Radio Poland, rferl.org

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced over the weekend that the government would be extending its anti-inflation policies to mitigate the economic and financial fallout of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

In an interview with Business Insider on Saturday, the PM noted that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was driving up prices of fuel as well as gas and other natural resources.

In response, Morawiecki announced his cabinet was drawing up an „anti-Putin shield,” a package of policies to support those economic sectors that were hit the hardest by Russia’s attack on Ukraine. The move comes after Poland’s central bank (NBP) on Friday predicted that inflation would reach 10.8 percent at the end of 2022.

On February 1, Poland cut value-added tax (VAT) on fuels from 23 percent to 8 percent, slashed the tax on food from 5 percent to 0 percent, and reduced taxes on gas and fertilizers to 0 percent, in an effort to curb rising inflation.

The measures were initially set to expire after six months.

Source: Radio Poland

As the war in Ukraine drags on into its nineteenth day, tens of thousands of refugees continue to arrive in Poland looking for food, housing, and eventually work.

To help new arrivals find employment, the City of Sopot has launched an information point where refugees can receive professional advice from a career counselor, along with help finding open positions and preparing application documents (CV and cover letter).

The Information Point at the Sopot City Hall and the Sopot Center for Integration and Support for Foreigners is located at ul. Marynarzy 4 and open on weekdays from 11:00 to 16:00. Computer access is also available, with language support in Ukrainian, Russian, and English.

More than 2.8 million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion on February 24th, with Poland alone accepting over 1.78 million.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, Straż Graniczna

Polish Officials announced yesterday that renowned Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki will be laid to rest in a state ceremony on March 29, the second anniversary of his death.

Due to the war in Ukraine, the composer’s widow, Elżbieta Penderecka, canceled earlier plans to round off the ceremony with a concert by the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra and the famous violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, who was a close friend of Penderecki.

Meanwhile, a tribute concert called „Krzysztof Penderecki in Memoriam” has been postponed for the autumn of 2023, the 90th anniversary of the composer’s birth.

Penderecki, one of the most renowned composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, died on March 29, 2020, in Kraków at the age of 86. A state funeral was initially postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Radio Poland

Polish tennis phenom Iga Świątek has advanced to the fourth round of the women’s singles competition at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California.

The 20-year-old Pole, currently ranked world No. 4 by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), defeated Denmark’s Clara Tauson in straight sets (6-7, 6-2, 6-1) in their third-round match yesterday.

The win follows a successful performance last month in Doha, where Świątek won the Qatar Open tennis tournament to claim her second WTA 1000 title and her fourth career singles title.

The Polish phenom is set to face off against former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber of Germany tonight at 20:15.

The Indian Wells tournament will continue until March 20.

Source: Radio Poland, atptour.com

Weather

Today will be partly cloudy and cool, with a slight chance of rain overnight and light winds coming from the south and west. Temperatures will be warmer than yesterday, with a high around 11°C, or 51°F, dropping to below freezing overnight with a low of -1°C or 30°F. Slightly cooler weather is expected tomorrow, with a mix of sun and clouds throughout the week.

Elizabeth Peck/MarWer