Statement from President Obama On the One Year Anniversary of the Death of Polish President Kaczynski and His Delegation

As the people of Poland mark one year since the tragic deaths of President Lech Kaczynski, First Lady Maria Kaczynska and their delegation, I join with the American people, including many Polish Americans, in honoring the memory of these 96 Polish patriots.  The images of the wreckage in Smolensk, and the loss of so many extraordinary civilian and military leaders who guided Poland to democracy and prosperity, broke our hearts.  But it was the inspiring scenes of people coming together, in streets filled with candles and flowers, both in Poland and the United States, that revealed the true strength, resilience and faith of the Polish spirit, as well as the unbreakable bonds between our two countries.  Poland is one of America’s strongest and closest allies, and I look forward to deepening these enduring ties, and carrying on the work of those who perished one year ago this Sunday, when I visit Warsaw next month.