Former President of the European Council Donald Tusk says that “any scenario is possible” in the face of the war in Ukraine, and that the EU has recognized the need for an “independent and self-sufficient” common defense.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that there is a “real” threat of conflict in Europe and that the continent has entered a “pre-war era” for the first time since the Second World War, citing the prolonged conflict between Moscow and Kiev following the invasion of Ukrainian territory by the Russians.
In recent weeks, Russia has stepped up its bombardment of Ukraine, which borders Poland, and one of the Russian missiles briefly flew over Polish airspace, which is a member country of NATO and the European Union (EU).
“War is no longer a concept of the past. It’s real and it started more than two years ago. The most worrying thing at the moment is that literally any scenario is possible. We haven’t seen a situation like this since 1945,” said Tusk in an interview with the European media group LENA on Friday (29/03).
The Second World War ended in 1945 with the surrender of Hitler’s Germany and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US.
“I know it sounds devastating, especially for the younger generation, but we have to get used to the fact that a new era has begun: the pre-war era. I’m not exaggerating, this is becoming clearer every day.”
Tusk, who presided over the European Council from 2014 to 2019, made the comment a month after the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war interrupted an era of peace in Europe and led nations to increase defense spending and arms production.
He also said that no one in Europe would feel safe if Kiev lost the war. Poland has been one of the countries most supportive of Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict.
Common defense
The Polish prime minister said he had noticed a revolution in the European mentality, because according to him no one in the bloc would question the need for an “independent and self-sufficient” common defense.
He cited as an example Germany’s two largest parties, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which are “competing to see which one is more pro-Ukrainian”.
“The European Union as a unit, as a powerful organization, must be mentally prepared to fight for the security of our borders and our territory,” he said.
The need for a stronger Europe became even clearer when former US President Donald Trump, who is running for re-election in 2024, openly expressed skeptical views towards NATO.
“Our job is to nurture transatlantic relations, regardless of who the US president is,” Tusk said in the interview.
bl (AFP, DPA) *** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***