Prince William makes surprise visit to troops near Ukrainian-Polish border
Britain’s Prince William made a rare, unannounced trip to Poland on Wednesday, meeting British and Polish troops stationed near the Ukrainian-Polish border and praising their “cooperation in support of the people of Ukraine and their freedom.” The Prince of Wales first visited the 3rd Brigade Territorial Defense Force base in Rzeszów, where he met Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak and viewed a display of military equipment. While there, he spoke to British and Polish soldiers about the robust comradeship that has formed since they started working together. The 40-year-old royal then met members of the British Armed Forces to learn more about how they have been collaborating with their Polish counterparts delivering operations in support of Ukraine. Landing in the Polish capital of Warsaw, William said in a statement that it was “fantastic” to be back in Poland. “Our nations have strong ties. Through our cooperation in support of the people of Ukraine and their freedom, which are also our freedoms and yours, these ties are further strengthened,” the heir to the British throne said. “I’m here because I want to personally thank the Polish and British troops working in close and crucial partnership. I also want to pay tribute to the inspiring humanity of the Polish people. You have opened your hearts as much as your homes,” he continued. “That’s why this afternoon I visited Rzeszów to hear their stories and recognize their duty. I was struck by their passion as well as their shared determination to defend our shared freedoms,” William added. This is William’s first trip to Poland since a 2017 visit with his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and the prince is also eager to gain a stronger understanding of how the country has shown compassion to its Ukrainian neighbors. Following the surprise troop visit, William traveled to Warsaw where he visited an accommodation center, “to see the humanitarian response first-hand and just how vital the support is that communities across Poland are providing to Ukrainians fleeing the war.”
Via: CNN
