Speaking on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels, Tusk said preventing Ukraine from being forced to capitulate was essential to Europe's own security.
“Supporting Ukraine—in fact, saving Ukraine from having to capitulate—also means ensuring that Russia doesn't gain a strategic advantage over us," Tusk said.
"To put it briefly, Poland’s independence would be in danger if Ukraine were to capitulate as a result of bad decisions or indecision, for example on the part of Europe," he added.
EU leaders gathered in the Belgian capital to discuss options for financing Ukraine’s war effort, including a proposal to provide loans backed by frozen Russian assets, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Tusk said such an approach would be the most effective solution.
He argued that a secure and independent Ukraine would help keep the war away from Poland’s borders, while Ukraine’s defeat would pose a direct security threat to his country.
Tusk said issuing EU-backed debt guaranteed by the bloc’s common budget was unpopular among some member states because it would require approval by national parliaments.
"Therefore, we are looking for ways to use reparations loans based on Russian assets," he said.
He added that leaders were also discussing guarantees for countries holding large amounts of frozen Russian assets, particularly Belgium, which has expressed concern about potential legal claims from Moscow after the war ends.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP
Click on the audio player above to hear a report by Marcin Matuszewski.