CNN: ‘Every crazy dictator in the world is watching’: Warsaw mayor on implications of Ukraine war

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins interviews Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski during President Biden’s visit to Poland. #CNN #News

Transcript

>>> President Biden set to speak there in just a few moments from now at the royal castle here in Warsaw, Poland. It’s the same place he gave that impassioned plea last year shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. >> Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia for these

People refuse to live in a world of hopelessness and darkness. We will have a different future, a brighter future, rooted in DEM Tracy and principle, hope and light, decency, dignity, freedom and possibilities. >> Joining us now is the mayor of Warsaw who is — what a moment you’ve been living through.

You are the mayor of Warsaw, you’ve now had a presidential visit from the U.S. Twice in less than a year. He didn’t go to Berlin, didn’t go to London, didn’t go to Paris. What does it mean that he’s here in Warsaw to give this speech? >> It’s incredible, of course,

The times are very difficult but it’s important that the president of the United States is in Poland again because it means that we are safe because with him he brings those guarantees of security. And, of course, it is immensely important for us that he was in Kyiv, that he showed so much

Courage and that the united States of America is ready to help. >> And we heard from president Putin this morning giving that lengthy speech. Overall it seemed to signal that he doesn’t believe this war in Ukraine is anywhere close to being over. What was your take away? >> Well, unfortunately it seems

That Putin wants to escalate, that he doesn’t have a plan B. He miscalculated on so many different fronts. He thought that Ukrainians will not defend their country, he thought that we could be divided and he just was wrong on both of these counts. >> One thing has been about what

The west is sending to Ukraine, that was a major theme of his speech today, one point has been the F-16s. The U.S. Is saying they are not going to train Ukrainian fighter pilots on the f-16,yet. Do you think that’s a mistake? Do you think they should do so

In case they decide to send them? >> It’s complicated but the most important thing is every taboo has been broken. I remember these conversations a year ago, many people were saying we shouldn’t be sending heavy weapons, we shouldn’t be tending tanks and it turned out that America and other European

Allies decided to actually help Ukraine because Ukrainians are fighting for our security so we need to help them as much as we can. >> When you say our security, this war is on your doorstep. What does that feel like? >> Well, I mean, Poland is safe, I mean, you see Warsaw just

Behind me, nothing changes. Of course, today everything is blocked because of the presidential visit, but life goes on. Thanks to president Biden and the American administration we feel safe, thanks to ourselves as well, but thanks to the Ukrainians who are fighting for the stability of the transatlantic alliance, fighting for our values.

I mean, we talk about democracy, the rule of law all the time. These guys are actually giving their lives for those values. >> What you seem to be saying is that instead of debating over sending certain weaponry, longer range missiles, planes to Ukraine they should go ahead and send it?

>> We should be helping Ukraine as much as we can. Of course the Americans are doing it, pols are doing it, but many of our friends in western Europe were dragging our feet. We better keep the pressure up. We need to help those guys N Warsaw we are helping refugees

And women and children. Many Ukrainians tell us we can fight because you are doing your best. You are informing, we’re helping refugees, other people are sending weapons because we all have a dog in this fight because every dictator, every crazy dictator in the world is watching, whether the west can

Be united, whether we can be strong and whether we can deliver. >> We are a year into this war and Poland saw the most refugees out of anyone, a lot of them came through Poland, went to other places but many still live here, over a million in Poland, hundreds of thousands still live

In your city. What is the impact of that a year in? >> It has been really amazing this show of solidarity. You don’t see any people on the street, you don’t see any camps for refugees because they are with us, with friends, with family, so on and so forth.

I’m absolutely certain that we will get enriched by all of that. There is a silver lining on that cloud because Warsaw was one of the most diverse cities in between the wars and of course after the second World War it was changed. Now we welcome these Ukrainians here for a while, maybe for

Longer, and we feel enriched. >> One thing we’ve seen Polish president Duda call for, is a bigger American presence a more permanent presence here. Are there indications you think that is actually going to happen? >> We hope so, there is American presence on the ground and of course president Biden said

Every inch of nato territory will be defended. It first of all makes us feel more secure but also sends a very strong signal to the Russians that they shouldn’t move any further and that, by the way, they should start moving out of Ukraine because the west will be together, will

Be strong, next batch of sanctions are being prepared. So that’s exactly the signal that we should be sending and those are the words that I’m waiting for that president Biden will deliver in a few hours. >> How long do you think it could go on for? >> It’s very, very difficult to

Say, but that’s why we need to help the Ukrainians because they are bleeding every day and, as I’ve said, you know, this is also our war. Some people think this is a war somewhere in the east, but this is a war for our values, for the stability of our institutions, for our community.

As I’ve said, everyone is watching, whether we can deliver, whether we can be strong. People thought the west will keep on deliberating and so on and so forth. We showed that we can do it together and we should simply continue doing it. >> Mayor, thank you so much for joining us here.

Thank you for hosting us in your city. >> Pleasure. Come to Warsaw.

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