US President Joe Biden delivered a list of assurances and condemnations during a speech yesterday in Warsaw, telling the world that Vladimir Putin should no longer remain in power after Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.
A White House official later told the media that Biden “was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia or regime change,” but his “point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region.”
Earlier in the speech, Biden emphatically declared that “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, for free people refuse to live in a world of hopelessness and darkness…My message to the people of Ukraine is … we stand with you, period.”
Biden also spoke to Russians directly, telling them, “this is not the future you deserve for your families and your children…This war is not worthy of you, the Russian people. Putin can and must end this war. The American people will stand with you.”
During his visit to Poland, Biden reassured Polish leaders that NATO’s Article 5 guarantee of mutual defense between member states was “a sacred commitment” of every NATO member, paraphrasing the words of Polish-American patriot Tadeusz Kościuszko that, “your freedom is ours.”
Source: Radio Poland, Radio Gdańsk
While the US President was in Warsaw, Russian forces fired missiles on Ukraine’s western city of Lviv, some 70 kilometers from the Polish border.
According to local reports, the targets were a fuel depot and a military site in the area. An official from the Lviv city council reported “three powerful explosions” near the city and encouraged residents to “keep calm and stay indoors.”
Hundreds of thousands of civilians from other parts of Ukraine are currently sheltering in Lviv, a western city many considered to be a safe distance from the war’s main battlefields in the east.
Russian troops fired missiles at an airport near Lviv earlier this month. Last night’s attacks are suspected of having originated from Russian-occupied Crimea.
Source: Radio Poland, PAP
Hospitals in Malbork and Nowy Dwór-Gdańsk have announced plans to employ Ukrainian medical professionals arriving in Poland as refugees.
The hospitals are hiring three doctors, an anesthesiologist, two pediatricians, and six nurses. Ukrainian doctors must undergo a specialized internship that will last several weeks to several months. They will work as assistants to Polish doctors and nurses during this time, studying the language and health care system.
Interviews with prospective applicants are currently being held at the Poviat Health Center in Malbork (Powiatowy Centrum Zdrowia w Malborku).
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Protestors gathered yesterday in front of the Russian consulate in Gdansk to show solidarity with Ukraine and raise awareness of Poles currently imprisoned by Putin’s ally Lukashenko.
Organizers have planned an additional rally for Sunday afternoon to demonstrate support for Ukraine and Ukrainians. Rally organizers hope to bring together various charitable organizations to provide mutual assistance to the Ukrainian military and refugees in Poland.
Public organizations and individuals are warmly invited to attend. The rally will take place at the intersection of Tkacka and Piwna streets, beginning at 15:00 today.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Polish tennis phenom Iga Świątek is set to become the top-ranked player in women’s tennis after advancing to the third round of the Miami Open tournament on Friday.
Świątek saw off Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland 6-2, 6-0 in their second-round encounter at the US tournament, clearing a path for the Polish tennis phenom to move into the top spot vacated by retiring Australian tennis champ, Ashleigh Barty.
Świątek will be the first Polish tennis player ever to be ranked world number one, a position she will officially take over when the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) posts updated rankings on April 4.
Source: Radio Poland, wtatennis.com
Residents are reminded to change their clocks if they have not so already.
Sunday morning at 1:00 marked the beginning of summer daylight savings time, in which all EU member states move their clocks up by one hour.
Weather
Today will be partly cloudy and cold, with very little chance of rain and light winds coming from the southwest. Temperatures will be slightly cooler than yesterday, with a high around 13°C, or 56°F, dropping to an overnight low of 2°C or 36°F. Slightly cooler weather is expected tomorrow, with a chance for more clouds and rain as the week progresses.
Elizabeth Peck
