Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is eyeing a 2024 presidential run, traveled to Poland to meet with refugees fleeing war-torn Ukraine, arriving on the same day Vice President Kamala Harris landed in the country to spotlight the U.S. role in the conflict.
Mr. Pence traveled with his wife, Karen Pence, to the Polish border with Ukraine, where the couple met with refugees fleeing the Russian attack.
The war has prompted 2.4 million Ukrainians to flee with about 1.4 million entering Poland.
“The impact of the Russian invasion on these families is heartbreaking and the need for support is great,” Mr. Pence tweeted, calling on the public to donate to relief organizations.
Ms. Harris did not travel to the border. She met with Polish President Andrzej Duda to reinforce ties between the two nations and to pledge additional humanitarian support. The two leaders held a joint news conference.
The visits occurred after President Biden blocked a plan by Poland to deliver MiG-29 fighter jets through a U.S. military base in Germany to Ukraine. Mr. Biden rejected the plan out of concern it would escalate a conflict and draw NATO into combat with Russia.
Ms. Harris played down the disagreement over the jets at a press conference.
“The United States and Poland are united in what we have done, and are prepared to do, to help Ukraine and the people of Ukraine, full stop,” Ms. Harris said.
She was criticized during the press conference for laughing when a reporter asked whether the United States would help Poland by accepting some of the refugees fleeing Ukraine.
“It would be a tragedy if this woman won the presidency,” Iuliia Mendel, a former spokesperson for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a tweet that she later deleted.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.