Polish President Duda hosts CIA director in Warsaw

Polish President Andrzej Duda met with Central Intelligence Agency Director William J. Burns at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw yesterday evening. The talks focused on the current security situation in Ukraine. President Duda was accompanied by, amongst others, the head of the National Security Office Jacek Siewiera, as well as the head of the Presidential Office for International Policy, Marcin Przydacz.

The visiting director of the CIA, who recently met with President Volodymyr Zelensky whilst in Washington, has stated that according to the most recent assessment by his national security agency, the next six months will be „critical for Ukraine” during the continued fighting with the Russian Federation.

(TVP World)

Poland aims to be central Europe’s energy hub: Morawiecki lays out energy plans

The Polish prime minister has said his government is seeking to turn Poland into central Europe’s largest energy hub.

Mateusz Morawiecki made the declaration at the ‘E23: PL for UA’ energy conference in Warsaw yesterday afternoon. Bringing together policy makers, officials and energy executives, the event focused on Polish-Ukrainian energy cooperation and energy security in central Europe.

In a speech to the conference, the Polish prime minister said: “Our plan is to become an energy hub, especially a gas hub, for central Europe.”

The plan is based on existing interconnectors and pipelines, as well as plans to develop modern nuclear energy in the future. Poland has already begun to build a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and expand the oil terminal in the northern port of Gdańsk.

Morawiecki told the conference: “In the future, this infrastructure will be available for use by customers from Poland, but also by our partners from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.” The longer term aim is to end the reliance on Russian energy commodity supplies.

Later that day, the prime minister also met with his Latvian counterpart Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš. The two heads of state discussed security issues, bilateral relations and regional cooperation. The Polish prime minister described Latvia as “not only our friend, but also an ally in many international efforts”.

(PAP / Radio Gdańsk)

A home for Ukrainian women and their children is being built in Orunia

A home for Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war was due to be opened in August. The demand is immediate, which is why one floor has already been put into use. However, the increasing bills for gas, water and light, which amount to PLN 40,000, are an obstacle.

The lack of funding delays the work, and there are still two floors of the building to be completed. 18 people are already being accommodated there, including children” explained Mateusz Szerkus, president of the board of the „Awaken Hope” foundation.

(Radio Gdańsk)

Local Mixed Martial Arts middleweight from Gdynia takes on British opponent this Friday at the KSW 80 event

Bartosz Leśko, representative of the Mighty Bulls Gdynia MMA club will take on Tom Breese in the KSW Polish MMA competition middleweight division.
In the co-main event of KSW 80 this Friday, top UK middleweight Tom Breese (15-4) takes on Poland’s Bartosz Leśko (12-2-2). Breese, a former UFC fighter, has been involved in two controversial finishes so far in Poland’s KSW and is looking to wipe the slate clean and climb towards the title while Leśko is aiming to take the biggest win of his career in his KSW middleweight debut. The Gdynian has so far fought sixteen professional duels; triumphant in twelve, drawing twice and submitting to his rival twice also.

For more information and the build-up teaser video for the event, check out the article on the Radio Gdansk website here.

(Radio Gdańsk / KSWMMA.com)

The weather

Today we should see a similar weather pattern to yesterday with sunny spells breaking through cloud cover. Gentle breezes coming in from the west may occasionally turn into gales but only in the morning. Daytime temperatures will see a high of 5°C or 41°F, with expected lows of -3°C or 27°F overnight. Tomorrow’s weather will be milder than today, similarly overcast with sunny spells, with expected afternoon gusts of wind of up to 50 km/h.

Thomas Rado