WARSAW, Poland (AP) — President Joe Biden’s visit to Poland on Friday gave him a chance to underscore the U.S. commitment to protect a key NATO member on Ukraine’s doorstep and to thank Poles for their generous welcome to refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion.
But Poland is also a complicated ally whose populist leaders are accused by some European partners of riding roughshod over democratic norms, and liberal Poles will be seeking a sign that the U.S. remembers its role in promoting democracy.
Biden’s two-day visit follows a trio of emergency summits in Brussels and brought him to the country that has accepted the lion’s share of the more than 3.5 million people who have fled Ukraine. More than 2.2 million refugees have entered Poland since the start of the month-old war, and many propose to stay there.
