– It was really a great experience. Meetings with colleagues from the American media and conversations with top government officials. Plus delicious food and lively music brought by the President’s Marine Band. And all this surrounded by Christmas decorations in the historic room of the White House, where we can walk around as if in our own homes – said the correspondent of Radio Poland, who also met Joe Biden himself and his wife.

– The President of America knows me because I have asked him many questions in the White House. When I went to see him at the party, he shook my hand and patted me kindly on the shoulder. I thank him for supporting Ukraine and supporting Poland. Biden then smiled and said, “Hey, man! Did you know that in my home state they call me Joe Bidenski?” (“You know they call me Joe Bidenski in my home state?” – ed.).

The Polish Radio Correspondent was not surprised by the invitation to the Christmas party of the American presidential couple, because she has worked in the White House for several years and is known to both Joe Biden’s press service and the president himself. – Nevertheless, I feel very happy, because this kind of invitation is a great honor – said Wałkuski, who attended the exclusive reception at the residence of the American president with his wife Edyta.

In addition to prestige, participating in the Christmas party at the White House is an opportunity for informal talks with the most important members of the administration dealing with foreign policy. – I had the opportunity to speak with the US President’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, who expressed admiration for Poland for the way it receives refugees and its role in supporting Ukraine – said the correspondent of Polish Radio.

Marek Walkuski with Jake Sullivan

Marek Wałkuski is the only Polish journalist in the permanent White House press corps. It belongs to the presidential “press pool,” which is a select group of journalists who cover events that do not allow the participation of a large group of journalists, such as government meetings, presidential statements or meetings in the Oval Office. As a member of the group, Wałkuski prepared reports for American and foreign journalists about visits to the White House by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Micheal Martin.

I am truly honored and honored. I received personal invitations from the President and First Lady of the United States to a Christmas party at the White House. @PR24_pl pic.twitter.com/5ta3wZHcMT

— Marek Walkuski (@Marekwalkuski) December 13, 2022

Wałkuski also frequently spoke with American presidents. His questions to Donald Trump and Joe Biden about the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline were cited by the world’s largest and American media. Radio Poland correspondents regularly ask questions about Poland and Europe at White House press conferences and the President’s National Security Council.

Marek Wałkuski with his wife and legendary journalist Bob Woodward

He asked Joe Biden, among other things, about the presence of US troops in Poland, aid for Ukraine and policy towards Russia. After the famous conversation between the US and Russian presidents before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Joe Biden joked that he was talking about Walkuski with Vladimir Putin. – He asked about you. We’ve talked a lot about you,” Biden said, pointing to a Poland Radio correspondent.

Marek Wałkuski with wife and White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre

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Marek Wałkuski is a journalist for Radio Three, and since 2002 he has been a correspondent for Radio Poland in Washington. He has published three best-selling books in America. Since 2018, he has been a full member of the White House Correspondents Association.

IAR/Marek Walkuski/pb/cor