Speaking to reporters before departing for Sweden, where Tusk will take part in a meeting of the Prime Ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries and will meet with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, the Polish PM outlined that the discussions would focus on three key areas where Poland has recently played a crucial role: Europe's relations with the U.S. following the recent presidential elections, regional cooperation on security, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
"For many months, Poland has been searching for a formula that brings together countries with clear and very similar, if not identical, positions regarding transatlantic relations, NATO, Ukraine, regional security, and policies toward Russia," Tusk said.
He noted the alignment of the Baltic region countries in their policies, stating, "It's fortunate that the Baltic States have very similar policies, which should become the policies of the entire European Union and NATO."
Tusk also highlighted that Poland, alongside the Baltic States, is working on establishing a defensive line against potential Russian aggression. "For us, it's the Eastern Shield, and the Baltic States are building a similar fortification system; we want to make this a single undertaking," he explained.
Advocating for 'navy policing' in the Baltic Sea
Before the meeting, Tusk announced plans to persuade Poland's partners to immediately establish a "navy policing" initiative—a joint effort to monitor and secure Baltic waters, modeled after the existing Baltic Air Policing mission.
"I will be convincing our partners of the need to immediately create an analogous formula for controlling and securing the Baltic waters—a 'navy policing'—a joint venture of countries bordering the Baltic Sea that share the same sense of threat regarding Russia," Tusk said.
Awakening European ambitions
Tusk also intends to discuss the need to "awaken European ambitions," asserting that "there is no reason for Europe to have any inferiority complexes toward anyone today."
"We cannot predict how U.S. policy will evolve in the coming months—of course, we must nurture relations with the United States—but Europe must become independent. The era of fear and uncertainty toward Russia must end," he declared.
He stressed that a united Europe renders Russia a "technological, financial, and economic dwarf" by comparison. "If Europe is divided, Russia poses a threat to each country individually," he added.
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Source: IAR, PAP