Warsaw, Poland
CNN
—  

Vice President Kamala Harris is assembly with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw on Thursday, the place she’s tasked with smoothing over a relationship with a key ally after the US rejected Poland’s shock proposal to facilitate the switch of its Soviet-era fighter jets to Ukraine.

Harris’ assembly with the hard-right nationalist could make for a clumsy diplomatic second, provided that the US has rejected Poland’s provide to produce the jets – which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been asking for.

The pair sat throughout from one another alongside a protracted desk throughout a photo-op, however didn’t make remarks.

Earlier than they sat down for talks, Harris greeted Duda on the entrance to the Belvedere Palace. Underneath a blue sunny sky, they shook fingers and spoke via face masks earlier than strolling indoors.

They’re anticipated to carry a joint press convention inside the subsequent hour.

Harris met first with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on the chancellery constructing, laying out her major focus for the go to: reaffirming American dedication to jap flank NATO allies.

“I want it had been beneath different circumstances,” she stated of her go to.

The fighter jet concern didn’t come up immediately in Harris’s first public look, although she has stated she was prepared to debate safety and humanitarian help to Ukraine.

She additionally stated she was working to strengthen US dedication to make sure Russia faces a “severe and extreme consequence” for its invasion of Ukraine.

And he or she thanked the Polish Prime Minister and his nation for welcoming Ukrainian refugees with “braveness and generosity.”

Poland’s provide to ship the jets to Ukraine was designed to keep away from the looks of Poland immediately arming Ukraine.

Nevertheless, the proposal created a conundrum for the US, which can be intent on avoiding direct battle with Russia. The provide had additionally not been mentioned with the US earlier than Poland introduced it publicly.

White Home press secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday described the state of affairs as a “momentary breakdown in communication.” She stated the jets concern won’t be the main target of Harris’ assembly with Duda, however the vp is anticipated to assist patch issues up.

“Clearly the vp is on her means there, not associated to this specific concern which can be labored via army channels, but it surely was extra in regards to the mechanism for the way it might be delivered and that’s the concern that’s operational and we’re nonetheless discussing,” Psaki stated.

Psaki additionally stated there are “clearly logistical challenges” with the proposal from Poland, together with getting planes into Ukraine in a means that isn’t escalatory, probably having to disassemble and reassemble planes, and guaranteeing the aircrafts’ secure motion amid a warfare.

Nevertheless, the Pentagon on Wednesday flat out rejected the concept, with spokesman John Kirby saying in a briefing that the US doesn’t help the switch of fight plane to Ukraine, both by Poland transferring them to Ukraine with the US backfilling Poland’s fleet or by Poland transferring the MiG-29s to the US to then give them to Ukraine.

The US intelligence neighborhood believes transferring the planes to Ukraine now could possibly be seen by Russian President Vladimir Putin as an “escalatory step,” Kirby stated.

“The intelligence neighborhood has assessed that the switch of MiG-29’s to Ukraine could also be mistaken as escalatory and will end in vital Russian response which may enhance the prospects of a army escalation with NATO,” Kirby stated.

The Protection Division stated in lieu of facilitating the switch of MiG-29 fighter jets from Poland to Ukraine, the US is in dialogue with “many nations” about offering extra air protection techniques to Ukraine.

The Biden administration has stored the controversial Polish President shut throughout the Ukraine battle, deploying hundreds of extra troops to bases in Poland.

Poland, Ukraine’s neighbor to the west, has additionally obtained greater than 1.2 million refugees since February 24, in response to the United Nations.

Harris’ journey is a part of the US’ bigger diplomatic push to strengthen the West’s unity towards Russian aggression in Ukraine. The vp can be taking part in a task in reassuring NATO’s jap European member nations amid considerations that Russia could have its sights set on them subsequent.

Officers have stated Harris plans to make use of the journey to focus primarily on “subsequent steps” in jap Europe’s dealing with of the continued battle, together with future plans associated to sanctions, refugees and army help to Ukraine.

The humanitarian disaster unfolding in Europe was evident proper exterior her door.

Simply throughout the road from her resort in Warsaw is the central bus station the place refugees fleeing violence in Ukraine have been arriving by the hundreds since final week.

Inside, volunteers in yellow vests are directing the brand new arrivals to counters serving to with lodging, translation and onward journeys. Lengthy traces wrap round tables providing scorching espresso and sandwiches. Bins of donated garments are positioned in corners and piles of diapers and child merchandise can be found for the taking.

The brand new arrivals appeared dazed and considerably disoriented, albeit relieved to have arrived in Poland. None stated they knew the American vp was additionally in Warsaw, staying within the resort subsequent door.

One girl, who declined to offer her title, had simply arrived with a small household and their husky combine. She stated she didn’t know Harris was visiting Warsaw; in spite of everything, she’d simply accomplished a protracted journey out of Ukraine.

If she had a message for the USA, it was merely: “please assist Ukraine.”

Harris is scheduled to carry a roundtable with refugees later Thursday after assembly with Duda. She can even meet with Ukrainian refugees and American diplomats who relocated to Poland from the US Embassy in Kyiv, which closed amid the battle.

She’ll additionally meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who’s visiting on the identical time, and can converse to US and Polish troops on Friday.

The vp can even journey to Romania to satisfy with the nation’s president and employees on the US embassy. And like Poland, Romania is a NATO member the place the US has deployed troops amid heightened tensions with Russia.

This story has been up to date with extra reporting.