Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk attended a Baltic summit hosted by Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson on November 27-28, advocating for European independence from the United States and for the Baltic region to spearhead EU defense and economic initiatives.
Leaders from Denmark, Finland, and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joined the discussions at Kristersson’s Harpsund residence.
Tusk emphasized the natural alignment among these nations, citing shared views on NATO, regional security, and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. “For many months, Poland has sought a formula to unite countries with similar positions on transatlantic relations and security,” Tusk said, adding, “The Baltic States’ policies should guide the entire EU and NATO.”
Looking ahead to Poland’s EU Council presidency in January 2025, Tusk called for a bolder Europe, free of “inferiority complexes” and prepared for greater independence from the US in defense matters. “Europe must stand on its own. The era of fear and uncertainty toward Russia must end,” he declared.
Tusk warned against reducing EU support for Ukraine, stressing that Europe’s survival hinges on Ukraine’s success. He also urged the EU to tackle energy costs and overregulation, saying high prices make Europe uncompetitive compared to the US and China. “We have to start with energy,” he insisted, “or we’ll lose our economic edge.”
Although Tusk’s views on Russia and Ukraine align with Polish President Andrzej Duda, the two differ sharply on EU-US relations. While Tusk champions European autonomy, Duda favors closer ties with the US and has criticized concepts like “European strategic autonomy.”
The summit highlighted growing Baltic-Nordic unity as these nations work to shape EU policy on defense and economic resilience.
