EU summit about ‘finalising first stage of maybe most vital European undertaking in a long time,’ Tusk says
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk spoke with reporters in Warsaw early morning, earlier than leaving for Brussels, saying the EU summit will likely be about “finalising the first stage of perhaps the most important European project in last decades: making Europe safe, armed, and united against the Russian threat.”
“You may remember how oftentimes we were alone in warning other European partners against the Russian threat … and now are about to see Europe unite around the very same problem that often saw Poland stand alone,” he mentioned.
Tusk additionally urged Poland’s president Andrzej Duda to signal into legislation the invoice on migration and asylum legislation modifications, giving the federal government’s the correct to briefly droop asylum purposes from irregular migrants.
He mentioned the transfer was wanted to counter “the pressure on our border with Belarus … which is growing” as he accused Alexander Lukashenko and Russia’s Vladimir Putin of encouraging irregular migration to place strain on the EU’s exterior borders, waging “a de facto war – they call it hybrid [war], but it’s something more serious than hybrid war” in opposition to Poland.
Key occasions
‘That was Macron, I’ll name him again,’ Zelenskyy briefs journalists on ‘fruitful, maybe most fruitful we had’ dialog with Trump
Shaun Walker
in Kyiv
In a Zoom name with journalists late on Wednesday, Zelenskyy mentioned he had “felt no pressure” from Trump, including: “It was a fruitful conversation, perhaps the most fruitful we have had, the mood was positive.
“We have received signals from the United States that we are talking about the ceasefire on energy facilities, so not to attack energy infrastructure, and we are also talking about the civilian infrastructure facilities.”
Zelenskyy mentioned his workforce would draw up an inventory of the form of amenities they felt could possibly be included and would current them to the Individuals at upcoming negotiations.
The Ukrainian chief additionally mentioned that he and Trump had mentioned the US proposal to take possession of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant in south Ukraine.
“We talked only about one power plant, which is under Russian occupation,” he mentioned.
In an indication that European leaders are carefully watching the discussions between Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy, the Ukraine president answered a telephone name whereas talking with reporters on Wednesday night and promised to name again.
Returning to the briefing, he mentioned: “That was President Macron, we have a conversation on average once a day, he’s helping a lot. I will call him back.”
Morning opening: Europe rallies to help Ukraine
Jakub Krupa
It’s one other busy day in European diplomacy.
European leaders are assembly in Brussels this morning to debate Ukraine, Center East, competitiveness, and European defence, constructing on a latest extraordinary summit.
Dangling the carrot of multibillion funding in European industries, António Costa, European Council president, wrote to leaders:
Our continued help to Ukraine, the necessity to put money into our defence and our competitiveness are carefully interlinked. A extra aggressive Union will likely be a stronger Union, higher capable of defend its residents, its pursuits and its values on the worldwide stage.
In the midst of the morning, the leaders will right here from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, getting an unfiltered view of his telephone name with US president Donald Trump.
Specifically, they are going to be in all probability eager to listen to extra concerning the plans for a restricted – however steadily increasing, if attainable – ceasefire, and Trump’s uncommon promise to “work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe” to help Ukrainian air defence, which could possibly be seen as an oblique rejection of the Russian demand to cease arming Ukraine.
Over lunch, they may even communicate with UN secretary basic António Guterres; ECB president Christine Lagarde and Eurogroup president Paschal Donohoe may even be a part of for a bit.
Their talks are seemingly to enter late night, however our consideration will shift to Britain in late afternoon, as UK prime minister Keir Starmer hosts over 30 military chiefs and planners to debate his plans for the “coalition of the willing”.
We must always hear from him sooner or later, too, however in a present of simply how critical he’s about defence, he made a uncommon go to to a nuclear-armed submarine HMS Vanguard – a primary such go to by a serving prime minister in additional than a decade.
However his coalition faces a problem even earlier than it got here into existence as Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has made clear he wouldn’t settle for western army help flowing to Ukraine and Nato forces on Ukrainian soil beneath any peace settlement. Regardless of this, there aren’t any indicators that his phrases in any manner affected the persevering with planning. Finally, that’s what “peace through strength” is supposed to be about.
Heaps to cowl – ranging from European leaders’ arrivals in Brussels within the subsequent hour or so. I’ll convey you all the newest right here.
It’s Thursday, 20 March 2025, and that is Europe stay. It’s Jakub Krupa right here.
Good morning.
