The era of fear of Russia and uncertainty must come to an end
Republic of Poland - The Chancellery of the Prime Minister
27.11.2024
Poland must join the Baltic States to build a joint line of defence against possible Russian aggression - this is one of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's objectives ahead of his meeting with the NB8 Group in Harpsund, Sweden. During the meeting, the politicians will talk about transatlantic relations, European security and support for Ukraine, as well as other issues. Poland's ambition is to restore competitiveness in Europe, including in terms of energy prices.
Joint security policy with the NB8 Group
Poland joined the NB8 summit as a special guest, joining Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia in Sweden. Prime Minister Donald Tusk outlined the key matters that the meeting would cover before departing for Stockholm.
Today's talks will cover a number of matters, in which Poland plays a key role - transatlantic relations, regional cooperation in the context of security and a common position concerning the war in Ukraine,
the Prime Minister announced.
Poland's participation in the NB8 summit is a crucial development in the context of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The factors that bring Poland and the NB8 Group closer are their shared views of the security situation and concern for critical infrastructure and strategic resources in the Baltic Sea.
Poland is looking for a way to bring together countries that have an unambiguous and similar outlook on these issues,
the Prime Minister stated.
We want to develop a line of defence with the Baltic States against possible Russian aggression. Poland is bolstering its own defences with Shield East and our partners are working on building a similar fortification system.
We want to merge these projects and build defences from Finland to our border with Ukraine,
the Prime Minister declared.
We already have shared experience in air policing. The Prime Minister intends to convince our partners to launch navy policing missions with the aim of securing the waters of the Baltic Sea.
Time for a revival of European ambitions
The most important political task for our continent today is to reawaken European ambitions.
Poland can and will play a key role in this process. There is no reason whatsoever for Europe as a whole - the European Union and the European member states of NATO - to feel inferior compared to our peers,
the Prime Minister stated before departing for Sweden.
Europe must become self-reliant in view of the changes in US policy.
The time is now to end the era of fear of Russia and uncertainty. Russia cannot hold a candle to United Europe in terms of technology, finances or economy,
the Prime Minister pointed out.
That is why it is so important that we develop a joint policy with other European countries. Russia is only a threat if Europe remains divided.
Restoring Europe's competitiveness
The revival of European ambition also concerns its economy.
The European economy needs to go back to being a powerhouse that is not afraid of any competition,
the Prime Minister pointed out.
The potential of our continent is enormous, yet still remains untapped.
We have to start with energy prices. Energy in Europe cannot be twice or three times as expensive as in the United States or China. This destroys our chances,
Donald Tusk noted.
During the Presidency, which begins on 1 January 2025, Poland wants to tackle the task of restoring Europe's competitiveness in this field.
Support for Ukraine must continue
During the talks with the Baltic and Nordic States, the Prime Minister once again reiterated that the matter of Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine at the table.
We all want peace - but above all, we need a just peace that respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine,
the Prime Minister noted.
The most effective way of securing Polish and European borders today is keeping up support for Ukraine.
This is something I will also talk about in Sweden today - we cannot just think that if the United States pulls out of Ukraine and stops aiding its war effort, then Europe should follow suit. In reality, we should do the exact opposite thing,
the Prime Minister pointed out.
This is not only an expression of solidarity with a country that has been the victim of Russian aggression, but also a matter of security of the entire continent.
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