U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is paying tribute to the Polish people at a gathering in Warsaw commemorating the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.
President Donald Trump had originally been scheduled to attend the event, but canceled at the last minute as Hurricane Dorian barreled toward the U.S.
Pence has said in remarks at a ceremony with fellow world leaders that, "While the hearts of every American are with our fellow citizens in the path of a massive storm, today we remember how the gathering storm of the 20th century broke into warfare and invasion followed by unspeakable hardship and heroism of the Polish people."
Pence has praised the Polish people, saying they "never lost hope" and "never gave in to despair," saying the "character, faith, and determination of the Polish people made all the difference."
He said: "Your oppressors tried to break you, but Poland could not be broken."
The visit would have been Trump's second to Poland since taking office in 2017, reflecting his cozy relationship with Poland's right-wing nationalist president.
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