Tusk says peace in Ukraine is on the horizon
Peace in Ukraine could come within weeks, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday, stressing that close coordination between the government and the president on the international stage is crucial for Poland’s security.
Speaking after high-level talks on ending the war in Ukraine, Tusk said the discussions involved leaders of key European countries, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the heads of EU institutions and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. "We assessed the outcome of this first stage of these already very serious negotiations involving the leaders of Ukraine, Europe, the United States and Canada. Peace is on the horizon," he said.
Tusk said hopes for ending the war were based on US declarations of readiness to take part in security guarantees for Ukraine after a peace agreement, including the possible presence of US troops along the border or the contact line with Russia. He added that peace would also require a compromise approach from Ukraine on territorial issues, which would need to be approved in a referendum.
He said decisions on the future of Ukraine and the region could soon be required, making coordination between the government and the presidential camp essential. Tusk confirmed he had received a note from the President’s Office on a recent videoconference between US, Ukrainian and European leaders, and said his office would also share information from Tuesday’s talks. He added that the US administration "prefers contacts with the president, while in Europe the government is of course recognised as the main partner."
"There is no room for resentments or grievances, this is a key issue for Poland’s security. I will be counting on an urgent meeting with the president," Tusk said.
He also referred to efforts to end what he described as an unnecessary dispute over officer rank nominations, noting that Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and Special Services Coordinator Tomasz Siemoniak had proposed a joint meeting with the president and service chiefs.
Sunday’s talks in Florida between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were among several recent meetings on peace prospects. Both leaders said progress had been made, although Trump acknowledged that one or two sensitive issues remained unresolved.
Tusk spoke ahead of the final cabinet meeting of the year, telling ministers that while the coming year would not be easy, "it depends on us whether it will be better." (PAP)
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