Polish PM Donald Tusk, whose country has been one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine, said Friday that if Kyiv lost, “no one” in Europe would feel safe.
March 30, 2024
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned of the “real” threat of conflict in Europe, saying that for the first time since the end of World War II the continent has entered a “pre-war era”.
“War is no longer a concept from the past. It is real, and it started over 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,” Tusk said in an interview with the European media grouping LENA on Friday.
“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; it’s becoming clearer every day.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago upended European leaders’ sense of unshakeable post-war peace, prompting many countries to gear up weapons production to supply both Kyiv and their own militaries.
Former European Council president Tusk, whose country has been one of the staunchest supporters of neighbouring Ukraine, said Friday that if Kyiv lost, “no one” in Europe would feel safe.
Also front of mind for the continent is the potential return of former US president Donald Trump, whose openly NATO-sceptic posture has raised questions over the reliability of American military assistance should he be re-elected in November.
“Our job is to nurture transatlantic relations, regardless of who the US president is,” Tusk said in the interview.
Indeed, as I’ve said before, in February 2022, we had exited the post-WWII era and were catapulted into a new one, whatever you may want to call it. The period after WWII was one with mostly peace and prosperity on the European continent. Only a relatively small war raged during those decades, in former Yugoslavia. The bad part is, besides the fact that it’s only Ukraine that’s suffering massively, virtually every Western leader still has not woken up to the fact that we’re in a more brutal world now. And, this war is only the beginning. Our leaders sleep while mafia land does as it pleases, pounding civilian targets every day, committing massive numbers of other war crimes, and engages in subterfuge across the West, trying to undermine our societies. Certainly, our weakness has encouraged china to draw up its own plans for a “special military operation”, iran is fully engaged in trying to destroy Israel and helps mafia land to destroy Ukraine as a side hustle, and north korea is also getting ever bolder with its aggression.
In this new and more dangerous world, we have leaders such as Biden and Scholz! We have a possible president who would side with evil – Donald Trump. We have Canada, which has displayed a very poor performance in this war. We have Sunak, who is also no Churchill, and we have Macron, who surprised everyone as the only Western leader that is conducting realpolitik, although we must wait and see if his money is where his mouth is.
But, Tusk is also no great leader in all of this. The non-stop border blockade does great damage to the only country that is actively engaged in combat to guard democracy, and he’s allowing it just because a few peasants are complaining about not earning enough dough.
While Ukraine is struggling to survive in this new era, it’s almost business as usual in the very naive and carefree Western world.
So, what should this new era be called, folks?
Tusk appears to be blowing hot and cold. He hasn’t offered any compensation to Ukrainian business owners, truckers etc who got fucked over at the border by Polish quislings. He hasn’t even apologized.
If he wants to be a statesman, he should offer two brigades to the proposed Macron four divisions for Odesa and the Dnipro right bank. Get Petr Pavel on board, plus a couple of Scandies and the Balts and you have a viable proposition.
The UK could join after the election, but I can’t see Starmer going for it. I hope I’m wrong though.
Poland is perhaps the strangest of all allies, after being the staunchest. It wobbles between strength to opposing Ukraine’s vital exports. And all because of a few peasants
“I know it sounds devastating, especially for the younger generation,”
It’s crazy to have to remember that the nature of things is inherently fragile and that nothing can be taken for granted. Especially freedom. Are people waking up now? In the meantime, what is truly devastating are the Russian bombs raining down on Ukrainian children crushed every day by the bricks of their homes.
This Tusk comment says a lot about our beliefs about freedom and how to defend it or even preserve it. Effort, sacrifice, moderation, vigilance, the ephemeral nature of international relations have become incongruities in a society seeking immediate and limitless happiness. Well no my friends. Nazis knocking on Europe’s door will want to deprive you of it if they destroy Ukraine.
The sooner we realize the fragility of our existence and in a certain sense its emptiness, the sooner we understand that the fight against Russia is a fight that concerns us fully, the sooner we will make this war our, the sooner we will be masters of our destiny.
We must commit ourselves fully to this war. It’s them or us. It’s darkness or light. That’s all.
I think that the West … its leaders and populations … are having a most difficult time comprehending what’s at stake in Ukraine. If they don’t understand, they will not want to sacrifice anything. Their daily lives and daily problems outweigh the abstract concept of having to dig trenches, running to a basement when missiles or drones come, or fearing the prospect of crossing a field because it’s heavily mined. This horrible reality is a part of Ukrainian life for two years, and also something that is best to ignore, so they think.
Maybe things are much worse. They understand them, have assimilated them, but completely ignore them until the next bomb reaches their border.
It’s like with the climate crisis. I don’t want to mix subjects who have little in common, everyone has their own opinion in this mater, but if we listen to the science objectively, our conscience should tell you to act, be vigilant or do something useful otherwise millions of people will die elsewhere.
It’s the same with the genocide in Ukraine, there is an incredible threat for a land and the world and we choose to ignore it as long as it does not hit our soil hard. The reality is we’re fucking selfish and Ukraine pays an incredible price for our consented passivity and for our lack of fraternity. Particularly my country which shames me.
Which is your country?
My country also shames me … the US.
Switzerland. I am all the more ashamed that the founding myths of our nation describe the revolt of the population against the officers serving imperialist power. We should understand the plight of Ukraine better than anyone.
Well, yes, I must admit that your country has played a shameful role in this war. Being neutral when such a terrible war is raging is de facto being on the side of the aggressor. It makes matters worse that this war is in Europe … right at your very doorstep, so to speak.
I am glad, however, that Switzerland has people like you who see the fallacy of the country’s stance.
This headline doesn’t make much sense to me. This already is the war era, period! We’re way past “pre”, even if many in Europe still don’t understand that Putin wants their countries to become mere vasals of RuSSia. 😠
I think that Tusk meant the pre-war period for the rest of Europe.
Probably, but I still think that’s the wrong phrase. As supporters of Ukraine, Nato countries are already part of this war, like the US in 1940, before becoming actively involved. It’s not helpful to pretend otherwise. This is our war, too, the future of free Europe is at risk! 🤨
I understand your point of view and must agree. He could’ve chosen a more appropriate phrase.