By Gram Slattery
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s joint appearance with Polish President Andrzej Duda in the battleground state of Pennsylvania has been canceled, according to a source familiar with the Republican presidential candidate’s plans.
Trump and Duda had planned to attend the unveiling of a monument at a Polish-American Catholic shrine north of Philadelphia on Sunday. If the event had gone ahead, it would have marked a rare instance of a foreign leader appearing alongside a US presidential candidate on the campaign trail.
It was not immediately clear why the appearance was canceled or whether Trump would meet with Duda at a different time or place.
Voters of Eastern European descent have become highly sought after in the final weeks of the race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. Pennsylvania, in particular, is home to a significant Ukrainian-American and Polish-American population. Since the state is among the most competitive in the country, these demographics could help determine the outcome of the election.
Harris has said Trump would fail to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression if he wins the Nov. 5 election, a claim the Trump campaign denies.
A who’s who of foreign leaders will arrive in the United States in the coming days for the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he will “probably” meet with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy next week, and he has also said he will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Polish Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Ross Colvin and Deepa Babington)