Poland's upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union will focus on tightening cooperation with the United States and Ukraine, President Andrzej Duda said on Wednesday in Warsaw.
"We should organize two European summits in Poland to underline the most important elements of Europe's development for the future," Duda said in a speech marking Poland's 20th anniversary of accession to the European Union.
The EU presidency is held on a rotating six-month basis. Poland's turn will come in the first half of 2025. The presidency handles portions of the bloc's business and helps set the EU agenda.
Duda said one summit should take place between the EU and the US, which in 2025 appears destined for either a second term of Joe Biden or Donald Trump.
The meeting between the EU and Ukraine should be dedicated to the reconstruction of the country attacked by Russia, Duda said.
Poland, a staunch backer of Kiev, wants to see progress on Ukraine's accession to the EU, Duda said. He also mentioned support for Moldova and Western Balkan nations joining.
Duda is closely aligned with the nationalist conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, which was voted out of office in elections last year. Centrist Donald Tusk, a former president of the European Council, then became prime minister in December.
As Tusk was ill on Wednesday, Duda laid out the agenda for the Polish EU presidency without the prime minister at his side.
Poland joined the EU on May 1, 2004 together with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Cyprus and Malta.
"Our presence in the EU has contributed to Poland's dynamic development over the last 20 years in a way that cannot be overestimated,’ Duda said, according to the PAP agency.