{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-shaheen-meet-with-polish-embassys-head-of-mission", "Durbin, Shaheen Meet With Polish Embassy\u2019s Head Of Mission", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Richard J. Durbin", "D000563", "www.durbin.senate.gov", "durbin", "https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with the Head of Mission at the Polish Embassy, Bogdan Klich, to discuss Poland\u2019s strong support of Ukraine as Vladimir Putin continues his brutal war. They also discussed Russia\u2019s provocative incursion into Polish airspace, creating a dangerous escalation of the war in Ukraine that marks the first time NATO planes engaged enemy targets in alliance airspace.\n\n\u201cWhile I support efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine started by Russia, it is also clear that after each such engagement or threatened deadline from President Trump, Russia\u2019s attacks on Ukraine brazenly increased, not decreased,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cAs I reiterated to Mr. Klich, we must stand strong together\u2014the United States, Poland, and Ukraine\u2014to push back on Vladimir Putin and ensure any peace agreement is not a sellout to Putin. I also reiterated that Poland is our ally, and I hope the Trump Administration takes the Russian drone incursions to NATO seriously.\u201d\n\n\u201cPoland is an invaluable NATO ally, a keystone of our collective defense on the Eastern flank and a steadfast partner in supporting Ukraine\u2019s fight for freedom,\u201d said Shaheen. \u201cIn our meeting today, I reiterated my deep reservations about the Trump Administration\u2019s initial so-called \u2018peace\u2019 proposal that is willing to accommodate Putin\u2019s demands at the expense of Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty and broader U.S. and European security interests. The United States should follow Poland\u2019s lead and recognize the urgency of the moment\u2014now is the time for a strong, coordinated Allied posture.\u201d\n\nIn October, Durbin and Shaheen introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning Russian incursions into NATO territory and reaffirming Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.\n\nDurbin has visited Poland multiple times in recent years, including in February 2022 just days before Russia began its most recent assault on Ukraine. Chicago, Illinois, is home to the largest population of those with Polish ancestry outside of Poland. The Illinois National Guard has a long-standing partnership with Poland that includes training and exchanges. The FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which just passed the Senate yesterday, included a Durbin-supported provision prohibiting the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Europe, including Poland.\n\nPhotos of the meeting are available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-shaheen-meet-with-polish-embassys-head-of-mission"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5002666041254997, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}