Trump in Poland: West united by 'culture, faith, and tradition'

President Trump delivered a fiercely pro-Western speech Thursday from Krasinski Square in Warsaw, Poland, as part of his second foreign trip as commander in chief.

During Nazi occupation, Krasinski Square was a buffer area between the Warsaw ghetto and the rest of the city, and the German soldiers destroyed most of the buildings there. The renovated square is now home to Krasinski Palace, Poland’s Supreme Court, and its monument to the 1944 Warsaw Uprising.

“Our two countries share a special bond forged by unique histories and national characters. It’s a fellowship that exists only among people who have fought and bled and died for freedom,” Trump said.

“And so I am here today not just to visit an old ally, but to hold it up as an example for others who seek freedom and who wish to summon the courage and the will to defend our civilization.”

The president discussed how Poland had to deal with both Nazi and communist occupation, and the tremendous loss of life, but that it still did not break their will to be free. He commended the role of Pope John Paul II, and millions of Poles who rose up against the USSR’s hold over their country.

Trump recommitted to the “transatlantic bond between the United States and Europe,” reminding the audience that the West continues to have “dire threats to our security and our way of life.”

“You see what’s happening out there. They are threats. We will confront them. We will win,” Trump promised. “We are confronted by another oppressive ideology — one that seeks to export terrorism and extremism all around the globe. America and Europe have suffered one terror attack after another. We’re going to get it to stop.”

The president discussed the battle “against radical Islamic terrorism,” saying the West “will prevail” against the jihadi threat.

Turning to Russia, a fierce adversary of Poland, Trump urged Moscow to “cease its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere and its support for hostile regimes — including Syria and Iran.” The president’s remarks come one day before his meeting with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

Trump also discussed “the steady creep of government bureaucracy” that seeks to crush people aspiring to “chase their dreams and pursue their destinies.”

The U.S. and nations of Europe need to stand strong behind our “culture, faith, and tradition,” Trump added, committing to “stand firmly behind Article 5” of NATO.

“Just as Poland could not be broken, I declare today for the world to hear that the West will never, ever be broken. Our values will prevail. Our people will thrive. And our civilization will triumph,” Trump said, concluding his fiery pro-Western values speech.