Poland will not send troops to a potential multinational military mission in Ukraine. This was stated by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to reporters after a meeting of European leaders and Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin.
“I have already made our position clear several times. Poland has a different mission – to protect NATO's eastern flank“, he said. The prime minister's press conference was broadcast on his office's social media pages. He noted that Warsaw would provide logistical support for possible security guarantees for Kiev.
Earlier, a statement by leading European leaders stated that security guarantees should include the creation of a European-led “multinational force for Ukraine“. The text specifies that these forces should be formed within the framework of a “coalition of the willing“ and with the support of the US.
The US believes that territorial concessions should be part of a peace agreement, Tusk said.
“If there are security guarantees, then there should be territorial concessions. This is the way the Americans see it to convince Russia to reach an agreement“, he said.
He noted that potential territorial concessions remain an open and very complex issue, Onet reports. The prime minister stressed that Warsaw will not put any pressure on Kiev and that the decision can only be made by the Ukrainians themselves. He added that a clear statement from the US side about its readiness to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine is crucial.
A decision on the expropriation of Russian assets will probably not be made at the upcoming EU summit this week, Tusk added.
“We are light years away from the potential use of these assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine or the provision of military support“, said the Polish prime minister. “My intuition tells me that the EU Council will not reach any fundamental decisions on this issue“, Tusk added.
He noted that Washington has a different view on the future of Russian assets frozen in Europe. “There is a significant difference of opinion on this issue. The Americans would be interested in a different use of these funds, including in an agreement with Russia“, Tusk explained.