This Is Our War Too

The world has woken up from a pleasant dream and rejected the illusory vision in which there were to be no more conflicts and peace was to be given once and for all. Now the West must also believe that the war unleashed by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is our common war.

“This is our war, because the war in Ukraine is only part of this ghastly project whose aim is always the same – how to enslave nations, how to take away individual freedoms, how to ensure that authoritarianism, despotism, cruelty and the lack of human rights prevail,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The head of government stressed that if this war is lost, the consequences will affect us and future generations – those living in Poland, across Europe and in the United States.

Poland, a Full-Fledged NATO Member

The transatlantic community must work more closely together. It must also mobilise its societies and governments to act effectively.

“America has the right to demand greater engagement from Europe as a whole. Just as we have the right to expect America to still treat the transatlantic community as an absolute priority and as something that guarantees the survival of our world. Let each side learn from the other. Let no one lecture anyone else,” said the Prime Minister at the Warsaw Security Forum.

Poland has understood this lesson very well. That is why we are building the largest land army in Europe, and next year we will spend almost 5% of GDP on security.

“If you know how to count, count first and foremost on yourself. We took the decision to arm Poland and modernise the Polish army on a large scale because we know that we must rely on ourselves. If we want to count on our allies, we must be a full-fledged element of the North Atlantic Alliance,” the Prime Minister underlined.

Security is not an area where savings can be made. Nor must anyone undermine the unity of the European Union and NATO.

We Can Win

Prime Minister Donald Tusk pointed out that the West cannot even contemplate capitulation – especially since it enjoys a clear advantage over Russia.

“If we were to entertain the thought, even for a moment, that as the West we have to lose this war, we would be cursed until the end of time. All the data – look at us, look at America, look at what Ukraine is doing – everything indicates that there is not the slightest reason to think in terms of capitulation,” stressed the head of the Polish government.

This is important because the stakes are very high. The Prime Minister recalled what post-war Poland looked like. He also recalled what Bucha and Mariupol look like after the Russians entered. These two images – historical and contemporary – have a great deal in common.

“If we cast doubt out of our hearts and minds, there will be no reason to abandon solidarity, cooperation and support for Ukraine by all available means. We are doing this for ourselves, not only for Ukrainians. We are doing it for ourselves, for our future,” said the Prime Minister.

When Poles watched the images coming from the destroyed Mariupol, they were fully aware that the same fate could befall Polish cities.

Moldova Shows How to Win

Faith is crucial in effectively resisting Moscow’s aggressive actions. Parliamentary elections were held in Moldova on Sunday. According to preliminary results, the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity, from which the country’s President Maia Sandu comes, won the vote.

“Today we have yet another example that you do not have to be a great power to win. In Moldova we are dealing not only with an occupation (on the other side of the Dniester), but also in Chișinău itself we saw an extremely brutal interference in the electoral process. They won because, in their heads and in their hearts, they held the conviction that one must not give up, and they believed in Europe’s solidarity,” the Prime Minister emphasised.

At the end of August, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, together with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, took part in the celebrations of the 34th anniversary of Moldova’s independence. The visit by the leaders showed Moldovans that Europe stands with them. They believed – and they won their freedom.