During a press conference with his Latvian counterpart Evika Silina on Thursday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the new arms race imposed by Russia and the country’s aggression against Ukraine must awaken all European capitals. He emphasized that the EU must finally make decisions that will counterbalance Russia’s military potential.
Tusk also commented on Vladimir Putin’s speech delivered shortly before, in which the Russian strongman told Western countries they risked provoking a nuclear war if they sent troops to fight in Ukraine, warning that Moscow had the weapons to strike targets in the West.
“Putin’s words about Russia arming itself and effectively switching to a wartime mode, and reorienting the entire economy to a wartime footing, these words are true,” said the Polish Prime Minister.
“It’s not just aggressive rhetoric, but the decisions announced in this speech by Putin regarding increasing Russia’s self-sufficiency, reorienting the economy to a wartime footing, and modernizing Russia’s armed forces—all of this must be taken deadly seriously,” he stressed.
“Europe must understand that what this new arms race, imposed by Russia on the world, and the Russian aggression against Ukraine must awaken all European capitals, and the EU as a whole, as the European part of NATO, must finally make decisions that will counterbalance Russia’s military potential and that will result in Europe being no worse but better armed and prepared for worst-case scenarios than Russia,” Tusk said.
Polish-Latvian ties
Tusk’s Latvian counterpart, Evika Silina, said that “We [the countries] think alike; we are allies. We have common values and interests.”
She emphasized that the bilateral cooperation between both countries is going very well as they share “friendly relations in various areas.”
According to her, further efforts between both countries should focus primarily on energy issues, defense, and border situations, as - she pointed out - their borders are the external borders of the EU.
Silina also referred to agricultural protests occurring in various EU countries. “Farmers are protesting in our country too,” she said, stressing that if Poland takes steps regarding an embargo on agricultural products from the eastern border, Latvia would support it.
She also stated that further sanctions should be imposed on Russia and that Ukraine should receive further support.
“Putin’s words about Russia arming itself and effectively switching to a wartime mode, and reorienting the entire economy to a wartime footing, these words are true,” said the Polish Prime Minister.
“It’s not just aggressive rhetoric, but the decisions announced in this speech by Putin regarding increasing Russia’s self-sufficiency, reorienting the economy to a wartime footing, and modernizing Russia’s armed forces—all of this must be taken deadly seriously,” he stressed.
“Europe must understand that what this new arms race, imposed by Russia on the world, and the Russian aggression against Ukraine must awaken all European capitals, and the EU as a whole, as the European part of NATO, must finally make decisions that will counterbalance Russia’s military potential and that will result in Europe being no worse but better armed and prepared for worst-case scenarios than Russia,” Tusk said.
Polish-Latvian ties
Tusk’s Latvian counterpart, Evika Silina, said that “We [the countries] think alike; we are allies. We have common values and interests.”
She emphasized that the bilateral cooperation between both countries is going very well as they share “friendly relations in various areas.”
According to her, further efforts between both countries should focus primarily on energy issues, defense, and border situations, as - she pointed out - their borders are the external borders of the EU.
Silina also referred to agricultural protests occurring in various EU countries. “Farmers are protesting in our country too,” she said, stressing that if Poland takes steps regarding an embargo on agricultural products from the eastern border, Latvia would support it.
She also stated that further sanctions should be imposed on Russia and that Ukraine should receive further support.
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