Poland Calls for EU Assistance in Strengthening Its Borders Militarily
Warsaw emphasizes that any prospective ceasefire in Ukraine must involve bolstering the bloc's eastern border.. source:TROIB RTS
TroibNews 
The bloc must strengthen the defense of its eastern border as part of any Ukraine ceasefire deal, according to Warsaw.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called on the EU to bolster its military presence along the borders with Russia and Belarus amid ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Tusk made this appeal on Thursday after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, where he encouraged Erdogan to play a significant role in any potential peace process.
The Polish prime minister noted that they discussed enhancing military capabilities along Poland's border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus, which he highlighted as “also the border of NATO and the EU.”
“I have obtained full understanding from our Turkish partner that the duty of the Polish army is to guard the eastern flank…” Tusk stated, as reported by local media.
He informed reporters that Poland plans substantial investments in “securing” its eastern frontier, which will include deploying drones and other military resources. Tusk emphasized that the responsibility for strengthening military capabilities in the region should be a collaborative effort between the EU and NATO.
“After all, we are not talking about a common European army,” Tusk remarked, “but a very specific problem, namely securing Poland’s eastern border, the border with Russia and Belarus.”
He added that it would be in the interest of both EU and NATO nations to regard the Polish border as a “common” one, as this approach would facilitate easier financing and organization.
Tusk has consistently expressed concerns that Russia poses a significant threat to Europe, warning that Moscow might execute a “full-scale operation” against a “larger” target than Ukraine within the next three to four years. The Kremlin has rejected these claims as baseless. Tusk insists Poland should act as a “bastion” to safeguard NATO’s eastern border and enhance its military capabilities.
In a recent address to the Polish Parliament, Tusk outlined plans to more than double the size of the country’s military to 500,000 personnel, stating that Poland must be ready for future conflicts.
The Kremlin has decried Tusk’s statements as confrontational and militaristic. Moscow has countered the accusations of posing a military threat to Europe, with Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissing such claims as “nonsense” aimed at justifying heightened military expenditures.
Earlier, the EU had unveiled a significant military spending initiative to confront the perceived Russian threat. The REARM plan, proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, includes €150 billion in loans for EU nations aimed at defense expenditures and fiscal exemptions, potentially providing up to €800 billion over the following four years.
The Kremlin has condemned this plan for the bloc’s “militarization,” arguing that it represents a path toward confrontation and undermines ongoing peace efforts in the Ukraine conflict.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called on the EU to bolster its military presence along the borders with Russia and Belarus amid ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Tusk made this appeal on Thursday after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, where he encouraged Erdogan to play a significant role in any potential peace process.
The Polish prime minister noted that they discussed enhancing military capabilities along Poland's border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus, which he highlighted as “also the border of NATO and the EU.”
“I have obtained full understanding from our Turkish partner that the duty of the Polish army is to guard the eastern flank…” Tusk stated, as reported by local media.
He informed reporters that Poland plans substantial investments in “securing” its eastern frontier, which will include deploying drones and other military resources. Tusk emphasized that the responsibility for strengthening military capabilities in the region should be a collaborative effort between the EU and NATO.
“After all, we are not talking about a common European army,” Tusk remarked, “but a very specific problem, namely securing Poland’s eastern border, the border with Russia and Belarus.”
He added that it would be in the interest of both EU and NATO nations to regard the Polish border as a “common” one, as this approach would facilitate easier financing and organization.
Tusk has consistently expressed concerns that Russia poses a significant threat to Europe, warning that Moscow might execute a “full-scale operation” against a “larger” target than Ukraine within the next three to four years. The Kremlin has rejected these claims as baseless. Tusk insists Poland should act as a “bastion” to safeguard NATO’s eastern border and enhance its military capabilities.
In a recent address to the Polish Parliament, Tusk outlined plans to more than double the size of the country’s military to 500,000 personnel, stating that Poland must be ready for future conflicts.
The Kremlin has decried Tusk’s statements as confrontational and militaristic. Moscow has countered the accusations of posing a military threat to Europe, with Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissing such claims as “nonsense” aimed at justifying heightened military expenditures.
Earlier, the EU had unveiled a significant military spending initiative to confront the perceived Russian threat. The REARM plan, proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, includes €150 billion in loans for EU nations aimed at defense expenditures and fiscal exemptions, potentially providing up to €800 billion over the following four years.
The Kremlin has condemned this plan for the bloc’s “militarization,” arguing that it represents a path toward confrontation and undermines ongoing peace efforts in the Ukraine conflict.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
