Poland's new prime minister: full mobilization of the West for Ukraine

2023-12-12 19:04:37, Kosova & Bota CNA

Newly elected Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk pledged to work to secure the West's full commitment to Ukraine and restore Poland's leading role within the EU. Poles say they are liberated after the appointment of a new prime minister and the direction the country will take after several years of government by nationalist forces.

Mr. Tusk said on Tuesday that his country will seek the full mobilization of the West to help Ukraine, adding that in this way Poland will regain a leading position in Europe and be a strong member of NATO. .

"This war, Russia's attack on Ukraine, is an attack on all of us. I believe in the cooperation of all political forces here. We will loudly and firmly demand the full mobilization of the free world, the Western world, to help Ukraine in this war. There is no other alternative ," said Mr. Tusk.

Poland's parliament backed Mr Tusk's appointment on Monday, ending eight years of rule by nationalist forces and returning the country to repair relations with the European Union.

Mr Tusk, however, vowed to oppose any changes to EU treaties that could affect Poland's interests, as well as to impose strict border controls. At the same time, he promised that Poland will be a loyal ally of the United States.

"How important it is to repeat our national motto, that Poland will be a vital, strong and sovereign link of the North Atlantic Alliance, that Poland will be a loyal and stable ally of the United States, with confidence in its motives, power and importance" , said Mr. Tusk.

People say they are liberated after the appointment of the new prime minister.

"The previous government was anti-European, so we lost many chances. Civilization is shifting so much that we should be united with Europe" , says Magdalena Perucka, a 40-year-old resident of the city of Gdansk.

As the country continues to experience tension from truck drivers' protests that have blocked border crossings, residents are hoping for a gradual transition of the new government.

"I hope it's a slow change. It should not be a revolution, overturning everything that the predecessors did and that the system and way of governance be better" , says 43-year-old lawyer Lukasz Strzelec.

One of the new prime minister's promises was to receive frozen funds from the European Union due to disputes over the functioning of the rule of law in Poland.

"Yes. I will bring from Brussels the billions of euros that Polish entrepreneurs and Polish local government want and are waiting for ," declared Mr. Tusk.

Poles have hope in Mr. Tusk's leadership of the country's governance.

"I think he has potential. He is an experienced politician who can handle the situation. I think it will fulfill our expectations, or at least the part of the electorate that voted for it" , says Ewa Reweda-Muranyi, former university administrator, now retired.

Mr. Tusk announced that he will go to Brussels this week and that immediately after this visit he will go to the Baltic countries, to strengthen cooperation with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in terms of the war in Ukraine and border protection./ VOA