Europe must take Putin's statements seriously, Tusk says
Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland (Photo: Getty Images)
The aggressive rhetoric and announcements of the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin should be taken seriously, according to the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk.
"Not only the aggressive rhetoric, but also the decisions announced by Putin - regarding increasing Russia's self-sufficiency, shifting the economy to military tracks, modernizing the army - all of this should be taken absolutely seriously," said Tusk.
As the Prime Minister of Poland explained, Europe must understand that the "arms race" imposed by Russia on the world obliges the West to wake up and prepare militarily for potential threats.
"The European Union (EU) must make decisions that balance Russia's military potential and make Europe better prepared for worst-case scenarios," added Tusk.
Today, February 29, the dictator addressed the Federal Assembly. During his speech, he declared "full readiness" of nuclear forces, and also warned about the consequences of involving NATO military forces in Ukraine.
Deployment of Western troops in Ukraine
On February 26, a working meeting of about 20 European leaders took place at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Conference participants discussed ways to counter Russia and possible ways to assist Ukraine in confronting the aggressor in the context of the escalation of the situation on the front lines in recent weeks.
During the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out NATO deploying troops to assist Ukraine. The main problem, according to him, is the lack of consensus on this issue at present. However, Germany, Czechia, Spain, and Italy opposed this initiative. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was categorical, stating that "there are no plans for NATO combat troops on the ground in Ukraine."
For more details on this, reactions from other leaders, and whether partners are indeed preparing to deploy their armies, see the material from RBC-Ukraine.
