Donald Tusk

Poland plans large-scale military training for adult men to boost reserves

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday that his government is working on a plan to prepare large-scale military training for every adult male in response to the changing security situation in Europe. The military training would create a reserve force that is adequate to possible threats, Tusk said in a major speech on security to Poland's lower house of parliament, or Sejm. He said that there's a need for an army of 500,000 soldiers, which would include reservists. Last year, the Polish government said that the military was made up of around 200,000 soldiers and was to grow to 220,000 this year with the objective of increasing it to about 300,000. But security fears have grown far more dramatic in recent weeks, as Russia continues to pound Ukraine with missiles and drones, and as the Trump administration has withdrawn military and intelligence support for Ukraine while putting its commitments to NATO in question. Today we are talking about the need for a half-million army i

Poland PM plans to suspend right to asylum as part of new migration policy

Poland's leader said Saturday that he plans to temporarily suspend the right to asylum as part of a new migration policy, pointing to its alleged abuse by eastern neighbour Belarus and Russia. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the state must regain 100 per cent of the control over who enters and leaves Poland, and that a territorial suspension of the right to asylum will be part of a strategy that will be presented to a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Polish news agency PAP reported. He didn't give details, but said at a convention of his Civic Coalition that we will reduce illegal migration in Poland to a minimum." Poland has struggled with migration pressures on its border with Belarus since 2021. Successive Polish governments have accused Belarus and Russia of luring migrants from the Middle East and Africa there to destabilise the West. Tusk pointed to alleged misuse of the right to asylum by (Belarusian President Alexander) Lukashenko, by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, by

Poland marks 85th anniv of Nazi Germany's invasion during World War II

Solemn ceremonies started early Sunday in Poland to mark the 85th anniversary of German Nazi forces invading and bombing Polish territory at the start of World War II. President Andrzej Duda attended observances in Wielun, the first civilian town targeted by German bombs in the small hours of September 1, 1939. Meanwhile, at a monument on the Baltic Sea's Westerplatte peninsula, where a military outpost was shelled by a German warship just minutes after Wielun was attacked, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz laid wreaths and attended a memorial roll call for fallen soldiers. At the time, the outpost's outnumbered troops fought for seven days before surrendering to the Germans, becoming a symbol of heroism and patriotism. In more than five years of war and brutal German occupation, Poland lost 6 million citizens or a sixth of its population, of which 3 million were Jewish. The country also suffered huge losses to its infrastructure, industry an

Doesn't have vote to liberalise Poland's abortion law, says Donald Tusk

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has acknowledged that he does not have the backing in parliament to change the country's abortion law, which is among the most restrictive in all of Europe. Tusk, a centrist, took power in December at the head of a coalition that spans a broad ideological divide, with lawmakers on the left who want to legalise abortion and conservatives strongly opposed. Changing the law to allow abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy was one of his campaign promises. There will be no majority in this parliament for legal abortion, in the full sense of the word, until the next elections. Let's not kid ourselves," Tusk said during an event on Friday where he was asked about the matter. Lawmakers to the parliament were elected last October for a term of four years. Tusk said his government is instead working on establishing new procedures in the prosecutor's office and in Polish hospitals in order to ease some of the de facto restrictions. This is already underwa

Day 2: PM Modi to hold talks with counterpart Tusk, Prez Duda of Poland

PM Modi will also meet the business leaders and Polish influencers

Local elections in Poland test PM Tusk's new govt after 4 months in power

Voters across Poland are casting ballots in local elections Sunday in the first electoral test for the coalition government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk nearly four months since it took power. Voters will elect mayors as well as members of municipal councils and provincial assemblies, an important exercise in self-governance that is one of the great achievements of the democratic transformation that Poland made when it threw off communism 35 years ago. In all there are nearly 190,000 registered candidates running for local government positions in the central European nation of 38 million people. Runoff votes will take place two weeks later, on April 21, in cases where mayoral candidates do not win at least 50% of the vote in Sunday's first round. Opinion polls released in the days ahead of the vote showed the two largest political formations running neck-and-neck: Tusk's Civic Coalition, an electoral coalition led by his centrist and pro-European Union Civic Platform party, and La

Polish prez pushes Nato to ramp up spending, calls on US to fund Ukraine

President Andrzej Duda used a joint White House visit with his political rival, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, on Tuesday to call on NATO allies to significantly increase defense spending and press a divided Washington to break its impasse over replenishing funds for Ukraine at a critical moment in the war in Europe. Duda wants members of the NATO alliance to raise their spending on defense to three per cent of their GDP as Russia puts its own economy on a war footing and pushes forward with its plans to conquer Ukraine. Poland already spends four per cent of its own economic output on defense, double the current target of two per cent for NATO nations. The Polish leader made the call as he and Tusk visited Washington to mark their country's 25th anniversary of joining the now 32-member transatlantic military alliance. It was a historic step into the West after breaking free from Moscow's sphere of influence after decades of communist rule. Russia's against Ukraine really demonstrated

Nato chief warns, says Trump puts safety of US troops, allies at risk

The head of the NATO military alliance warned on Sunday that Donald Trump was putting the safety of US troops and their allies at risk after the Republican presidential frontrunner said Russia should be able to do "whatever the hell they want" to NATO members who don't meet their defence spending targets. "Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. Speaking on Saturday at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, Trump recalled how as president he told an unidentified NATO member that he would "encourage" Russia to do as it wishes in cases of NATO allies who are "delinquent". "You didn't pay? You're delinquent?" Trump recounted saying. "No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills." Trump's remarks caused deep ...

Poland's president and new PM remain divided on rule of law despite talks

Poland's president and new prime minister said on Monday they remain divided on the key subject of rule of law in the country, despite one-on-one talks in search of common ground in various areas. Centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with pro-opposition President Andrzej Duda to discuss Poland's security ahead of Tusk's planned visit to Ukraine, but also to identify areas where they can cooperate in the society's interest above their sharp political divisions. In a sign that did not bid well for their future cooperation, both later said that they had found no common ground in the very sensitive area of the rule of law, where Poland's previous government and Duda himself clashed with the European Union. Tusk's government is taking steps to reverse the controversial policies of its predecessors, making new appointments to key offices, wrestling control of state-owned media and even arresting two former government ministers convicted and sentenced by court for abuse of power. Duda

Eight years of conservative rule in Poland ends as Donald Tusk becomes PM

Poland's new prime minister, Donald Tusk, and his Cabinet members took office Wednesday after they were sworn in by the president, marking the end of eight tumultuous years of rule by a national conservative party, Law and Justice. The swearing-in of the pro-European Union government, the final step in a transition of power, took place during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Warsaw. Tusk, 67, is returning to the prime minister's post after a nine-year spell during which he held a top EU position and was the Polish opposition leader. Leaders and senior officials from around the world, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, congratulated Tusk and said they looked forward to working with him and his team. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz used the Polish language to amplify his congratulatory message to dear Donald Tusk. Donald Tusk wants Poland to be again in the heart of the EU, and that's where her place is, Scholz said. I am

Tusk becomes Poland's prime minister with mission of improving EU ties

Donald Tusk, a leader of a centrist party, returned as Poland's prime minister for the first time in nearly a decade after a vote in parliament on Monday, paving the way for a new pro-European Union government following eight years of stormy national conservative rule. Tusk, a former EU leader who served as European Council president from 2014-2019 and has strong connections in Brussels, is expected to improve Warsaw's standing in the bloc's capital. He was Poland's prime minister from 2007-2014. Tusk's ascension to power came nearly two months after an election which was won by a coalition of parties ranging from left-wing to moderate conservative. The parties ran on separate tickets, but promised to work together under Tusk's leadership to restore democratic standards and improve ties with allies. The change of power is felt as hugely consequential for the 38 million citizens of the Central European nation, where collective anger against the Law and Justice party produced a ...

UK to fall behind EU, US after Brexit, become a second-rate player: Tusk

Johnson paused from campaigning to visit Stainforth in South Yorkshire, where residents were mopping up and military personnel were laying sandbags. Residents suggested he took his time.

EU nations agree to Brexit extension until January 31: Donald Tusk

"The EU27 has agreed that it will accept the UK's request for a Brexit flextension until 31 January 2020," Tusk said in a tweet

G7 summit: Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk sound alarm over trade war risks

"Trade wars will lead to recession, while trade deals will boost the economy," Tusk said as leaders of the G7 countries descended on the French resort town of Biarritz for a three-day summit

You tax our wine, we'll hit back, says EU's Tusk on new US tariffs

Group of Seven leaders are meeting in Biarritz, France, Saturday amid mounting tensions over trade, climate and threats to the global economy

Europe 'close to limits' on refugee influx: Donald Tusk

A steady stream of refugees has flowed into Europe over the last year, largely fleeing from the civil war in Syria