Tusk believes that Europe "must take greater responsibility for the security of the continent," addressing the current "deficit of imagination and courage" within the EU.
"It's a paradox, listen to how it sounds: 500 million Europeans are asking 300 million Americans to protect them from 140 million Russians. If you can count, then rely on yourself," emphasized the Polish Prime Minister.
He pointed out that the armies of European countries, along with Ukraine, total 2.6 million military personnel, compared to 1.3 million in the U.S., 2 million in China, and 1.1 million in Russia. Accordingly, "Europe has an advantage over all." The same situation applies to fighter jets and artillery systems, Tusk noted.
"Today we all loudly say: peace through strength. A strong and well-armed Europe that believes in its capabilities, ready to defend its borders, is the Europe that can guarantee peace, not through Ukraine's capitulation, but through its own collective strength," he is convinced.
Separately, the Prime Minister of Poland announced that he would support Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's initiative in London to convene an EU-U.S. summit, and he revealed his intention to address allies regarding the military strengthening of the EU's eastern flank, particularly the borders of Finland, the Baltic states, and Poland with Russia and Belarus.
Tusk stated that his main message before today's summit is that Poland, without any "buts," remains on the side of Ukraine in the war unleashed by Russia. As a country that allocates the most funds for the defense of the EU's borders and has a reputation as a reliable ally in Europe and the U.S., "it has a unique situation, and its voice will be heard even more." Thus, Poland will continue to support Ukraine while simultaneously deepening its relations with the U.S., "despite the challenging circumstances."