Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk chastised European leaders for being unprepared to defend Ukraine.
“If Europe had been better prepared, perhaps Russia would not have dared to attack our friend Ukraine,” Tusk told the European Economic Congress on Monday.
“But, now, as never before in the history of the EU have political leaders been so unanimous on what needs to be done in Europe,” said Tusk. “Poland is a leader in something that is absolutely priceless - faith in freedom and independence. A few months ago, a very important signal came from Poland that these were not empty words,” he added, speaking at the event held in Katowice, southern Poland.
“Europe will be safe provided that the skies over Europe are safe. (...). There is no room for disputes and internal competition here,” he further said.
Poland has been a leader in supporting Ukraine militarily and financially and is one of the few NATO members to spend over 3% of its GDP on defense.
“History has returned to us, and in its most physical dimension. Today, the European Union must become a secure continent through its own efforts,” Tusk said.
“Ursula von der Leyen was at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic,” Tusk recalled. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is a special guest of the congress. “It was an effort that united us. (...) We must realize that we can do more in the fight against evil that is more dangerous than this virus,” he added, referring to Russia's attack on Ukraine.
He added that border protection must also become Europe's priority due to mass illegal migration. The EU recently hailed a landmark agreement to bolster its borders against illegal immigration.
