{"id":279020,"date":"2025-02-18T12:51:25","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T10:51:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upmp.news\/?p=279020"},"modified":"2025-02-18T12:51:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T10:51:28","slug":"europe-must-boost-defense-spending-polish-pm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upmp.news\/en\/en-in-polish\/europe-must-boost-defense-spending-polish-pm\/","title":{"rendered":"Europe must boost defense spending: Polish PM"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has emphasized the need for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defense and strengthen cooperation among allies following an informal meeting in Paris.<\/strong> It is reported by Upmp.news with reference<\/a> to \u201cPolskie Radio\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gathering, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, brought together leaders from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, along with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on Monday evening after the meeting, Tusk said it marked the beginning of a series of crucial discussions in the coming weeks and months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that there was unanimous agreement among the participants that urgent and intensified efforts were necessary to enhance security cooperation in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tusk argued that Europe has significant financial reserves for defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I asked the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, about this, and she confirmed that we are talking about many billions of euros that can be activated immediately,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, he admitted there was less enthusiasm among EU leaders about his proposal to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine\u2019s military and European defense efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Most leaders would prefer to take bolder steps in utilizing these frozen funds, but I don\u2019t feel authorized to make any official statement on their behalf,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Poland\u2019s perspective, Tusk added, the most important change would be revising EU procedures to allow defense spending without penalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Regardless, we will need a greater presence of our allies along the eastern border, both in Poland and the wider region, and we will work towards that,” he declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tusk told reporters that European leaders shared Poland\u2019s view on key issues but acknowledged that such meetings do not produce immediate decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Referring to recent discussions at the Munich Security Conference, he said he was pleased to hear that all participants recognized the need for immediate action to strengthen alliances, including in\u00a0any future\u00a0negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/radiopoland\/posts\/1136812265121651?ref=embed_post<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Polish prime minister said there was clear consensus that Europe must significantly increase its defense spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Our European partners understand that the time has come for Europe to develop a much stronger capacity for self-defense,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that there was broad support for raising defense budgets and that European nations should not be irritated when the United States urges them to spend more on their own security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udcacPM @DonaldTusk<\/a> at the informal summit in #Paris<\/a>: \u201cEveryone sees that transatlantic relations have entered a new phase. We all recognize that the time has come to build Europe's self-defence capabilities and significantly increase defence spending\u201d.<\/p>— Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland (@PremierRP_en) February 17, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>