Polish prime minister urges countries to step up defence spending after Russian missile bound for Ukraine breaches airspace

The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, says Europe is entering a “prewar” era, cautioning that the continent is not ready and urging European countries to step up defence investment.

In an interview with a group of European newspapers reported by the BBC, Tusk said: “I don’t want to scare anyone, but war is no longer a concept from the past. It’s real and it started over two years ago.”

Tusk’s comments came days after a Russian missile briefly breached Polish airspace during a major attack on Ukraine, prompting Warsaw to put its forces on heightened readiness. Ukrainian officials have said large-scale Russian missile and drone attacks had targeted energy infrastructure.

Tusk has been using his platform to try to add a sense of urgency to Europe’s debates about defence and aid to Ukraine, amid fears about the future of American assistance and concerns about defence industrial capacity.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    8·
    8 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, says Europe is entering a “prewar” era, cautioning that the continent is not ready and urging European countries to step up defence investment.

    In an interview with a group of European newspapers reported by the BBC, Tusk said: “I don’t want to scare anyone, but war is no longer a concept from the past.

    Tusk’s comments came days after a Russian missile briefly breached Polish airspace during a major attack on Ukraine, prompting Warsaw to put its forces on heightened readiness.

    The Polish prime minister said that regardless of the outcome of the US election this year, Europe would become a more attractive partner for Washington if it became more self-sufficient militarily.

    In his comments this week, Tusk underscored the importance of cooperation between Poland, Germany and France, a format known as the Weimar Triangle.

    “Even the closest of friends have conflicting interests and viewpoints at times,” the Polish leader said in a press conference this week alongside his Ukrainian counterpart.

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