Politics

Poland, Baltic and Nordic states vow to boost support for Kyiv

Left-to-Right: Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre (L), Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk (C), and Sweden’t prime minister Ulf Kristersson (R) in Harpsund, Sweden, November 27, 2024. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
Left-to-Right: Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre (L), Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk (C), and Sweden’t prime minister Ulf Kristersson (R) in Harpsund, Sweden, November 27, 2024. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
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Poland, Nordic and Baltic states said on Wednesday they would in the coming months step up support for Ukraine, including to the country’s defense industry, and invest in making more ammunition available.

“We are committed to strengthening our deterrence, and defense, including resilience, against conventional as well as hybrid attacks, and to expanding sanctions against Russia as well as against those who enable Russia's aggression,” the leaders of Poland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway and Sweden said in a statement.

The leaders were meeting at the Swedish government’s country retreat in Harpsund, southwest of Stockholm, for talks covering transatlantic relations, regional security cooperation and a common policy on the war in Ukraine.

The Baltic Sea has become a focus of increased security concern following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Last week, two undersea internet cables in the Baltic were damaged in what may have been an attack carried out, according to some accusers, by Russia.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that his country and the Baltic and Nordic states shared a similar position on security matters and faced the same threats.
“We share the same assessment of the security situation, including concerns about critical infrastructure and strategic resources along the Baltic Sea. We need new tools and ambitious means to counter threats,” Tusk said, adding that Poland’s response is a proposal to create a ‘navy policing’ mission in the Baltic Sea.

Tusk said that his Baltic and Nordic counterparts found the proposal interesting and would continue to hone out the details.

Europe steps up its defense game


The election of Donald Trump to a second presidential term has raised questions about the United States’ commitment to supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia and about Washington’s role in NATO.

Many analysts believe that Europe will have to spend more on its own defense and on bolstering Ukraine’s military effort after Trump is inaugurated in January.
Poland, the Nordic and Baltic countries – several of which share a border with Russia – are among Ukraine’s biggest backers.

Aid from the Nordics, Baltics and Poland totals around €24 billion, according to the Kiel Institute's Ukraine Support Tracker, second only to the United States in absolute terms.

“Europe needs to take a greater responsibility for its own security,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a separate statement.

“That is preconditioned on us increasing our cooperation and continuing to support Ukraine, which is fighting for both its own and our security, over the long term.”
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