Polish PM says US and Europe should be more ‘decisive’ on Russia

WARSAW: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized on Monday that all Western nations, including Europe and the United States, must adopt a more assertive stance against Russia, as the conflict in Ukraine enters its fifth winter. Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, Tusk pointed to sanctions as the primary means to accomplish this, urging his European counterparts to contemplate raising their own sanctions against Russia.

He plans to visit Brussels to persuade these allies to take decisive action. As a NATO and EU member state, Poland has been a loyal ally to Ukraine since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, providing significant military and humanitarian support. Poland has frequently accused Russia of sabotage and hybrid warfare on its territory, claims Moscow has dismissed.

In September, Tusk warned that Russia's objectives in the Ukrainian war encompass "hybrid" drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's allies, such as Warsaw. The centrist, pro-European prime minister has consistently asserted that Poland will remain a steadfast supporter of Ukraine, urging solidarity from other Western nations. His remarks followed US President Donald Trump's announcement of an energy truce between the two belligerent parties, without offering specifics, which caused confusion in Kyiv and indifference from Moscow.