Vice President Kamala Harris sought to reinforce cooperative ties between the United States and Poland as she met with the country's President in the wake of an apparent disconnect between the two NATO members over providing Ukraine with fighter jets.

"I want to be very clear. The United States and Poland are united in what we have done and are prepared to help Ukraine and the people of Ukraine, full stop," Harris said alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda during a joint news conference.

It was a diplomatic response to a situation that had angered some US officials and complicated Harris' visit. In Warsaw, Harris is acting as an emissary of US resolve to protecting its NATO allies on the eastern flank, and she underscored that commitment to the region's security by announcing the delivery of two new Patriot missile systems to Poland.

She also pledged more humanitarian support, announcing $53 million in new assistance to Ukraine and said the United States would help countries like Poland where massive numbers of refugees have fled the fighting. She met later in the day with seven people the White House described as "displaced" and said the conversation would inform policy decisions back home.

"You've been through so much. And the people at this table represent well over a million people," she said.

In terms of military assistance to Ukraine, Harris didn't offer any commitments beyond what the United States is already providing, including Javelin and Stinger missiles.

The dust-up over providing fighter jets to Ukraine ultimately became moot when the Pentagon flat-out rejected the idea of transferring them at all, citing logistical and strategic concerns. But that was only after the awkward episode of Poland's offer to deliver the jets to the US -- who could then provide them to Ukraine -- left White House officials surprised and, to some extent, annoyed.

Harris was tasked with smoothing over the matter. Poland's offer was designed to avoid the appearance of Poland directly arming Ukraine, and Duda said alongside Harris he wanted buy-in from other NATO members before taking the step.

However, the proposal created a conundrum for the US, which is also intent on avoiding direct conflict with Russia. The offer had also not been discussed with the US before Poland announced it publicly.

Harris skirted directly addressing the issue during the news conference and instead underscored the military support the United States is already providing Ukraine short of air power.

"We're making deliveries every day in terms of what we can do," Harris said.

Asked what more Ukraine could expect, Harris said, "That is an ongoing process and that is not going to stop to the extent there is a need."

Her primary message, however, was not necessarily to Ukrainians but to people living in the countries just to its west, who are watching Russian President Vladimir Putin and wondering where he may set his intentions next. She said as long as countries were in NATO, the US would take action to defend them. "The United States is prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory. The United States takes seriously that an attack against one is an attack against all," Harris said.

The vice president’s visit to Poland comes as the Russian invasion of neighbouring Ukraine enters its third week.

Image Source: AP