And it was supposed to be so “perfect.” The illegal Pegasus commission wanted to punish the former head of the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) for failing to appear for a hearing—yet again. Although the matter concerned January 13, 2025, Ernest Bejda received a summons for January 13, but… from the previous year. This error was the basis for the Warsaw District Court’s decision to reject the request to penalize the former CBA chief!
Even the Date Was Wrong
As a reminder, the former head of the CBA was supposed to be questioned on January 13 of this year. However, it turned out to be yet another farce staged by the pseudo-commission led by Magdalena Sroka. Similar spectacles had already been witnessed in the commission’s actions against Zbigniew Ziobro. The politician refers to a Constitutional Tribunal ruling, which states that the commission was established improperly.
Nevertheless, this was already the third attempt to question the former CBA chief. And according to Sroka’s approach—third time’s the charm. As we know, Bejda did not appear for the hearing. This time, there were more reasons than just the fact that the “commission” was operating illegally.
On the same day, January 13, Bejda posted on social media that he had received a summons with an incorrect hearing date. The document indicated that the pseudo-commission wanted to question him on January 13—but in 2024.
Sroka Was Furious
Even though the former CBA chief publicly displayed the summons showing the incorrect date, this sparked frustration from Sroka. Under her leadership, the “commission” submitted a request to the court “to penalize him for failing to appear and to enforce his compulsory attendance at the hearing.”
Court Decision
However, things did not go well for Sroka and her “commission.” Bejda announced this morning that the court rejected the request of the illegal commission. Firstly, the date on the summons was incorrect. Secondly, the Sroka commission failed to attach “its request for punishment” to its submission.
“I want to inform you that the Warsaw District Court did not accept the request from the Parliamentary Investigative Commission on Pegasus to fine me and enforce my compulsory attendance by the police on March 4, 2025. In its justification, the court stated that the reason for rejecting the commission’s request was the incorrect indication of the hearing date. The commission summoned me for January 13, but in 2024. Given these circumstances, the court ruled that, as a witness, I am not responsible for failing to appear at the commission’s hearing.”
Bejda wrote in his post.
“It is worth emphasizing, as the court also noted, that the commission, while requesting the court to fine me and enforce my compulsory attendance, did not attach to its request the document summoning the witness for the hearing date—signed by the Chair of the Commission, Magdalena Sroka.”,
he continued.
“During the proceedings, I was the one who informed the court about the improper summons. Instead of correcting their mistake and properly summoning the witness for the correct date, the commission deliberately concealed the incorrect summons from the court while simultaneously demanding, among other things, a repressive measure against me—compulsory attendance, which essentially entails depriving a person of their freedom. Another testament to the ‘impartiality, reliability, and professionalism’ of the Commission.”,
Bejda wrote. His post also included the court’s decision.
Chcę poinformować, że Sąd Okręgowy w Warszawie nie uwzględnił wniosku Sejmowej Komisji Śledczej ds. Pegasusa, o ukaranie mnie karą grzywny oraz przymusowego doprowadzenie przez policję, na termin 4 marca 2025 r. Sąd w uzasadnieniu swojej decyzji stwierdził, że powodem odmowy…
President Andrzej Duda criticizes Donald Tusk’s past actions on Russia, questioning his sudden anti-Russian stance. “Where was he in 2015?” Duda asks.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has openly questioned Donald Tusk’s past actions regarding Russia, highlighting what he calls hypocrisy in Tusk’s current anti-Russian stance. “Today, we hear grand declarations about security, but in my opinion, this is hypocrisy,” Duda stated in an interview with Super Express. He pointed out that during Tusk’s tenure as President of the European Council in 2015, when Crimea was already annexed, and Donetsk and Luhansk were under Russian control, Tusk did not take meaningful action. Instead, according to Duda, Western European nations, including Germany, continued pushing for Nord Stream 2, increasing Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.
A Questionable Track Record
Duda also recalled earlier moments in Tusk’s career, questioning his response to Russian aggression in 2008 when “Russian tanks were heading toward Tbilisi,” as well as in 2012 when “he agreed to strengthen cooperation between Polish and Russian intelligence services.” The Polish president argued that there was no sign of an “anti-Russian front” from Tusk at the time. Now, with U.S. policy shifting under Donald Trump and Europe rallying support for Ukraine, Duda questions whether this change is genuine or simply an effort to push the U.S. out of European security matters.
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 - Wikimedia Commons
Dr Nikodem Rachoń, Undersecretary of State and Deputy Head of the International Policy Bureau at the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, warns that European leaders have fallen into the trap of their own narrative. By accusing Trump of withdrawing from NATO and abandoning Ukraine to Russia’s mercy, they not only weaken his negotiating position but also risk dismantling Europe’s current security architecture. Instead of supporting a realistic strategy to end the conflict, they prefer to showcase their moral superiority, leading to chaos rather than stability.
The recent clash between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House sparked outrage across Europe. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, declared that the “free world needs a new leader,” while figures such as Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, and Donald Tusk rushed to support Zelenskyy—not to take meaningful action but to bask in the media spotlight. German media even suggest that Europe should shift to its own military armament, ignoring the fact that this is an illusion without U.S. support.
Meanwhile, as Rachoń emphasizes, Trump does not seek perpetual war but a lasting peace—not through submission to Russia but through its participation in negotiations. He takes a pragmatic approach: peace must come before security guarantees for Ukraine, and Europe must finally shoulder a greater share of the defence burden within NATO. Economic proposals, such as granting American companies access to Ukraine’s rare minerals, demonstrate that Trump is also considering long-term stability.
The proposal by Keir Starmer and Giorgia Meloni for Europe to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine with the U.S. acting as a “backbone” sounds ambitious—but only if peace is first achieved. Rachoń recalls the failures of the Normandy Format and the Minsk Agreements: without American military strength, Europe stands no chance against Moscow, now backed by the so-called “Axis of Evil.” “The belief that 30,000 European troops could stabilize Ukraine without U.S. involvement is wishful thinking at best and reckless at worst.,” the author warns.
By feeding Zelenskyy empty promises, European elites are leading him into an illusion. After his Oval Office confrontation with Trump, he received many words of support from European leaders but not a single concrete plan. Without the American security umbrella, Europe is incapable of guaranteeing Ukraine’s safety—yet it pretends otherwise, wasting time that could be spent on real peace talks.
Rachoń also critiques Europe’s own weaknesses. Starmer, Macron, and Tusk are struggling with growing public fatigue over foreign policy, while the EU remains paralyzed by a lack of consensus on a common army. According to the author, the only leader who has understood the stakes for years is Andrzej Duda. The Polish president has consistently strengthened the military, reduced dependence on Russian energy, and cemented the alliance with the U.S., making Poland NATO’s eastern pillar.
Duda, who is pushing Poland’s defence spending to 5% of GDP and welcoming American troops, demonstrates what a real strategy looks like—unlike Western leaders, who vacillate between empty gestures and panic. His cooperation with Trump, recently recognized at CPAC (the annual political conference attended by conservative activists and officials from across the U.S.), proves that only a U.S.-Poland tandem can save Europe from another crisis.
Europe faces a simple choice: either it supports Trump in his negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, or it condemns itself to prolonged war and weakness.
“Pushing America out of Europe is a disastrous strategy that would lead directly to another catastrophe,” asserts Nikodem Rachoń. Without the American sword, the continent will remain defenseless, and the world—without peace.
According to the author, European elites must set aside their grievances and trust Trump—because only he has the strength, vision, and political capital to end this conflict. There is no other path. It is time to wake up—before it is too late.
According to CBOS, February 2025 saw an increase in government approval ratings, reflected in both the growing percentage of its supporters and the rise in positive evaluations of its performance. As CBOS highlights, this marks a reversal of the trend observed in the January survey. At the same time, support for Prime Minister Donald Tusk and for the government’s current economic policy has slightly increased. However, as the report states, “this has not altered the overall assessment structure – in all dimensions, negative opinions still prevail.”
Majority of Poles Reject Tusk’s Leadership and Economic Policies
Despite desperate attempts by Donald Tusk’s government to spin the narrative, the reality remains unchanged: a majority of Poles remain dissatisfied with its leadership. While approval ratings have seen a slight uptick, only 36% of respondents support the government, and a staggering 51% still disapprove of Tusk’s performance as prime minister. The strongest backing for his administration comes almost exclusively from Civic Coalition (KO) voters, while a mere half of Third Way and Left supporters express support. Meanwhile, opposition to Tusk’s government remains overwhelming among Law and Justice (PiS) and Confederation voters, proving that the conservative base remains steadfast in rejecting his policies.
Economic concerns continue to haunt the government, with a majority of Poles (52%) believing its policies offer no hope for improving the country’s financial situation. Though the percentage of optimists has increased slightly, it remains at a meagre 37%—hardly a resounding endorsement of Tusk’s economic strategy. The data reveals a clear divide: left-leaning voters cling to support for Tusk, while conservatives and independents remain sceptical of his leadership and economic competence.
The CBOS survey was conducted between February 6 and 16, 2025, on a sample of 965 individuals, using the following methods: 61% via CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing), 20.5% via CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing), and 18.4% via CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing).
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, CCA-SA 2.0//@donaldtusk - Wikipedia Commons//x.com
“Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the USA— Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia,” said Donald Trump, summarizing the EU leaders’ summit in London. He also asked outright: “What are they thinking?”
Trump’s Summary of the London Meeting
On Sunday, a summit of European leaders dedicated to Ukraine took place in London. The meeting was also attended by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump’s Response to the Summit
Yesterday, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, who on Friday had a rather heated discussion with the Ukrainian leader, provided his own summary of the meeting among European diplomats. He remarked that “the statement is not great.” Zelenskyy himself also faced criticism.
“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!”
— Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe,in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the USA— Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?”
— he asked.
The U.S. President attached a link to an Associated Press report, which quoted Zelenskyy’s statement following the meeting with European leaders in London. The Ukrainian leader mentioned that the end of the war was still “very, very far away” and asserted that despite his dispute with Trump, the current relationship with the United States and its support would continue because “it is more than just an occasional relationship.”
Truth Social / screenshot
What About the Agreement?
Nevertheless, The New York Times and The Washington Post report that the Trump administration is considering halting military support for Ukraine. On Sunday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declared that a necessary condition for signing a partnership agreement on the extraction of Ukraine’s natural resources is “that the Ukrainian authorities must be willing to reach a peace agreement.”
Meanwhile, Fox News reported on Monday that the deal would not be signed unless Zelenskyy apologizes for his behaviour during the meeting with Trump.
On Friday, during the meeting between the Presidents of the United States and Ukraine at the White House, there was a sharp exchange in front of the cameras. The meeting of the leaders ended without the signing of the mineral agreement. This triggered a wave of commentary and… a letter from Poland, signed by, among others, former Presidents Wałęsa and Komorowski. Its content is downright absurd.
A Strange Letter to the U.S. President
“We watched the account of your conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine with horror and disgust,” they wrote to the U.S. president. But most shocking are the comparisons they used. The U.S. president was basically equated with officers of the communist Security Service. “Our horror also stemmed from the fact that the atmosphere in the Oval Office during this conversation reminded us of what we vividly recall from interrogations by the Security Service and from courtrooms in communist-era trials. Prosecutors and judges, at the behest of the all-powerful communist political police, also told us they held all the cards while we had none. They demanded we cease our activities, arguing that thousands of innocent people were suffering because of us. They deprived us of freedom and civic rights because we refused to cooperate with the authorities and failed to show them gratitude. We are shocked that you treated President Volodymyr Zelensky in a similar way,” wrote Wałęsa, Michnik, Komorowski, and others.
Wałęsa shared the full text of the letter on social media, illustrating it… with a photo of himself and Trump:
Now They Write to Trump, But in the Past…?
It is worth recalling that, in 2009, an article by Vladimir Putin was published in Gazeta Wyborcza—run by Adam Michnik, one of the signatories of the letter. And in 2008, the newspaper published a piece by Sergey Lavrov, in which he wrote:
“By its aggression against South Ossetia and by breaking its international obligations, the authorities in Tbilisi themselves put a cross on Georgia’s territorial integrity. We call on our partners to follow Russia’s example and recognize the new realities. […] The moral righteousness of our position is indisputable.”
Meanwhile, as is well-known from the files on TW (Secret Collaborator) “Bolek,” Wałęsa’s talks with the Security Service—about which he writes in the letter—took place under quite a different set of circumstances than those described in the letter to Trump. Additionally, Andrzej Seweryn, who also signed the letter, infamously referred to Trump as a fascist in a video message “to [his] grandson” and called for someone to “give him a good whack.”
According to our information, the financial and personal ties between Rafał Trzaskowski [a leading figure of Poland’s Civic Platform (PO), Donald Tusk’s deputy, and the current Mayor of Warsaw is once again running for the presidency – ed.], his political circle, and radical anti-Israeli organizations are causing growing concern and attracting the attention of Jewish communities associated with American Jews from pro-Republican conservative circles. This may not be without impact on relations with Poland, especially given that the new U.S. ambassador to Poland is Thomas Rose, who comes precisely from such a background.
Hamas as a social movement
The Kraków-based Salam Lab (the Laboratory of Peace Activities Association), which fights “Islamophobia” (in one of the articles on the association’s website, it is argued that the source of Islamophobia is… the lack of a Muslim community in a given country), publishes pieces that whitewash Hamas and present this terrorist organization as a “social movement” that “implements a broad social and aid program, runs schools, clinics, and is closely tied to the functioning of particularly the poorest [communities].” It so happens that Salam Lab’s partner is the well-known Ocalenie Foundation, recognized from activities on the Polish-Belarusian border. It is the same organization that is financially supported by the Warsaw City Hall.
That same Ocalenie Foundation co-organized an anti-Israeli demonstration in Warsaw in autumn 2023 under the slogan “Solidarity with Palestine.” At that time, a banner reading “Take care of the cleanliness of the world” with a drawing depicting the Israeli flag being thrown into a trash can—carried by one of the protest participants—caused quite a shock in Poland. During the demonstration in the capital, anti-American slogans and the Hamas slogan “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free” were also displayed, a phrase known from Palestinian terrorists’ calls to destroy the state of Israel and establish an Arab state from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.
The Warsaw City Hall gave permission for this scandalous event and—despite publicly hateful slogans—city officials did not shut it down (let us recall that these are the same people who in 2018 disbanded the Warsaw Uprising March because one participant wore a T-shirt with… a crossed-out hammer and sickle). However, the involvement of Civic Coalition circles in promoting extreme activists does not end with merely granting approval.
Civic Coalition MP: Great respect for them!
A report on the protest was published among others by the Kremlin-affiliated news agency, which wrote in an article titled “Anti-Israel rally in Warsaw”:
“As reported by RIA Novosti’s correspondent, an anti-Israel rally is taking place in Warsaw. The event was organized by activists of the social initiatives ‘Empatia Distro’ and ‘Fundacja Ocalenie,’ who are involved in helping migrants. It is being held under the slogan: ‘Stop ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip.’ On Friday evening, several hundred people gathered in the center of Poland’s capital, near the Nicolaus Copernicus monument. They brought Palestinian flags and posters reading ‘Stop the genocide of Palestinians,’ ‘Hands off Palestinian children,’ and ‘Stop killing civilians.’”
On the Facebook page for the event, Empatia Distro, the Ocalenie Foundation activist Antoni Mantorski, as well as a female activist collaborating with “Grupa Granica” (the Border Group) and a student in an interdisciplinary individual studies program (MISH) in Arabic studies were all listed as organizers.
Empatia Distro is a small group of people primarily involved in actions at the Polish-Belarusian border. At the beginning of 2022, they described their activities this way: “Empatia Distro, as part of its mission, actively supports pro-refugee organizations working at the Polish-Belarusian border, refugees already residing in Poland, as well as people experiencing homelessness.” These activists have also distributed “Refugees Welcome” posters targeting economic immigrants from Asian countries.
Together with the aforementioned Ocalenie Foundation, Empatia Distro organized a fundraising auction in Warsaw’s “Krytyka Polityczna” community space “in connection with events in Afghanistan and the illegal detention of refugees on the Polish-Belarusian border.” Among the items auctioned was the bag that Civic Coalition MP Franciszek Sterczewski ran around with along the border, hindering the work of Polish services defending the territory of the Republic of Poland. While promoting the auction, Sterczewski wrote: “Today the auction begins for the benefit of refugees and the Ocalenie Foundation. All proceeds will be allocated for legal and medical assistance for Afghans (men and women) imprisoned in Usnarz Górny. […] The auction is coordinated by Kacper Krakowiak [a New Left activist] together with the amazing team from Empatia Distro, big respect to them!” As we have verified, the same group so praised by the Civic Coalition MP prepared, for the recent Warsaw march, posters claiming, among other things, that “Israel was founded as a result of ethnic cleansing.”
Sterczewski’s bag auction by a group that is now organizing pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli events took place at the venue on Jasna Street 10. As we read on the “Krytyka Polityczna” website: “Jasna 10: The Social Cultural Institution of Krytyka Polityczna carries out activities co-financed by the City of Warsaw.”
This is not the end of the connections
The second organizer of the demonstration in Warsaw was Antoni Mantorski—an activist who also worked with Sterczewski during his antics at the border. Mantorski serves as a communications coordinator for Grupa Granica, which called for the dismantling of the barrier separating Poland from Belarus and attacked Polish services in a crude manner. Interestingly, this organization received support from, among others, the authorities of Gdańsk, which is co-led by Civic Platform politicians. PiS MP Kacper Płażyński wrote in this matter to Mieczysław Struk, head of the Pomeranian structures of the Civic Platform: “The activists you support organized demonstrations during which Border Guard officers were accused of illegal actions, cruelty, and even murder—the slogan of these protests included accusing Border Guards of having ‘blood on their hands.’”
The anti-Jewish demonstration in Warsaw was also co-organized by the Ocalenie Foundation, which issued the following invitation to participate in the march:
“Come along with us and Empatia Distro to the Palestinian Solidemo!! […] Every day, the Israeli army commits more war crimes. Even before the current attack began, the situation in the Gaza Strip was close to disaster. Some 81.5% of the population lived in poverty, 63% were food insecure, and 95% of the available water was unfit for drinking. Today, disaster is a fact. Parallel to the military attacks, Israel is conducting a campaign of slander and manipulation against Palestinians to justify its cruelty. Let’s show that we do not consent to the unpunished killing of people in Palestine. Let’s say loudly to Israel: STOP THE ETHNIC CLEANSING IN GAZA.”
There was not a single word in this invitation about the terrorist, criminal attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians, about the kidnapping and murder of children, about Hamas’s hateful ideology, or about the responsibility of Arab terrorists for the misery of the local population.
Before the last elections, the Ocalenie Foundation compiled a list of recommended candidates. It included (apart from two cases from the Third Way coalition) only people from the Civic Coalition and New Left lists, such as Klaudia Jachira, Hanna Gill-Piątek, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Maciej Gdula, Urszula Zielińska, Monika Rosa, and Franciszek Sterczewski.
“Today, Poland is a free, sovereign, and independent country. It remains so thanks in part to the support of the USA, which was secured also thanks to Poles living here,” said President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda in Chicago, where he took part in Casimir Pulaski Day celebrations.
Andrzej Duda and the First Lady attended the festivities at the Polish Museum of America in Chicago. The president reminded attendees of Casimir (Kazimierz) Pulaski’s importance, pointing to the key moments of his life. He added that Pulaski Day holds a personal and special significance for him. “It shows the involvement of Poles in the United States from its very beginnings,” he noted.
“Today, Poland is a free, sovereign, independent country. It is so also thanks to the support of the USA, made possible by Poles living here—because in the United States, there is a memory that the great generals who fought for its freedom, Pulaski and Kościuszko, were Poles,” President Duda stated.
He emphasized that because the museum is visited by Americans, including those who hold power in the United States, they can see the contribution Poles have made to the nation’s history and how much Poles have given to building the potential of the United States.
The president also recalled the influence Poles wield in American politics by casting their votes in elections, thereby “participating in politics on democratic principles.”
“The Polish community matters, and thanks to that, it can support its homeland,” the president affirmed. Duda expressed his gratitude for the beautiful testimony of Polish heritage and thanked state and city authorities for their support of Poles.
“I constantly invite you to visit Poland, but above all: God bless the Republic of Poland. God bless America,” he concluded, after which the crowd erupted in a standing ovation.
By U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Shaun Kerr - U.S. Air Force photo 050615-F-2835K-096, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2543256
The actions of the Tusk government have once again led to a scandal. This time, cost-cutting measures are hitting a fundamental issue – security! Reckless decisions and a lack of responsibility could have tragic consequences – this is how Bartosz Kownacki, former deputy minister of national defense, comments on the shocking reports by “Gazeta Polska Codziennie” regarding Polish F-16s.
The Document Reveals Budget Shortfalls
“Codzienna” has obtained a document that the military sent to the Military Aviation Works No. 2. In this letter dated February 4 of this year, the head of the technical supervision team of military unit 3091 in Poznań (2nd Tactical Aviation Wing), Lt. Col. Tadeusz Foryszewski, informs the operational director of WZL No. 2:
“Due to the allocation of insufficient financial resources for 2025 under the service agreement [contract number – ed.], it is currently not possible to indicate approximate dates for the painting of F-16 aircraft planned for 2025. At the same time, I inform you that the technical supervision team of 2SLT has requested (…) a change in the service implementation plan (…) for 2025 by completely removing the aircraft planned for painting.”
Technicians from Military Aviation Works No. 2 explain that this is not about ordinary aircraft painting. “This is not about appearance. Painting allows the F-16 to be coated with a special layer that reduces the aircraft’s visibility to enemy radars,” say sources from “GPC.”
Public Outcry and Criticism
The scandalous reports have sparked numerous comments on social media.
Działania rządu Tuska po raz kolejny prowadzą do skandalu. Tym razem oszczędności uderzają fundamentalną kwestię – bezpieczeństwo! Lekkomyślne decyzje i brak odpowiedzialności mogą mieć tragiczne konsekwencjehttps://t.co/QzdSKeqfyQ
Wielka kompromitacja Tomczyka i WKK❗️ Rząd Tuska oszczędza na serwisowaniu naszych F-16. „Z powodu niedostatecznej ilości środków finansowych” wojsko rezygnuje z pokrywania samolotów powłoką, która czyni je mniej widzialnymi dla radarów wroga. https://t.co/HbGzvrQ6f9
Rząd szuka oszczędności. Właśnie jedną znaleźli: ograniczone serwisowanie samolotów F-16, nie będzie powłoki chroniącej przed wykrywaniem przez radary. Głupota, czy świadome działanie? Trudno jednak posądzać o głupotę. Prawda?
Polskie F-16 bez serwisu. Nieudolnemu rządowi Tuska zabrakło pieniędzy. Z powodu niedostatecznej ilości środków finansowych, wojsko rezygnuje z pokrywania samolotów F-16 powłoką, która czyni je mniej widzialnymi dla radarów wroga. Casa, TU-154, widać mało.https://t.co/E44KGuda7Upic.twitter.com/jxzOjMLPuJ
Bloomberg agency points out that the United Kingdom and France are currently at the forefront of Europe’s response to geopolitical threats. Notably absent from this list are both Poland, which holds the EU presidency, and Germany. Bloomberg assesses that internal issues are paralyzing Germany, but greater responsibility could be taken by Italy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and even British monarch Charles III.
“Britain and France – friends and foes over the last centuries – have apparently set aside their post-Brexit disputes (…) and are standing as a united front in defense of Ukraine and Europe. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have appointed themselves as leaders of the charge, committing to sending troops to Ukraine (…) to ensure peace with Russia,” writes Bloomberg, commenting on the diplomatic activities of Starmer and Macron, who were recently received at the White House and organized meetings of Western leaders on Ukraine.
A Shift in Europe’s Axis?
Bloomberg notes that the military size of these two countries, combined with their nuclear and intelligence capabilities, means that the British-French tandem has an advantage over the traditional French-German axis in the face of the Russian threat, which has been the traditional engine of European integration.
However, both France and the UK have their own problems, Bloomberg observes. Starmer came to power promising to end the decade-long austerity policies under the Conservatives and did not expect to have to find a way to increase defense spending. Meanwhile, Macron, who cannot run for re-election in 2027, must by the end of his term curb the rise in popularity of far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen.
Italy as a New Hope for Agreement
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni could also play an important role in talks with Trump, as one of the few European leaders with a good relationship with the White House host and his advisor, billionaire Elon Musk, Bloomberg notes. However, her country does not meet the 2% GDP defense spending requirement, and her pro-European policy could be further complicated by the resistance of her pro-Russian coalition partners from the League.
Among other figures who could influence discussions on Ukraine’s future, Bloomberg mentions Rutte, Charles III, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, while also noting that Merkel faces accusations of leading the EU into greater dependence on Russia.
Germany Left Behind
“The country that has been left out in all this is Germany, the driving force of Europe’s economy and the lender of last resort in many crises. The German military was deliberately weakened after World War II, and a fundamental obstacle – not just psychological – to increasing defense spending is the debt brake enshrined in the constitution,” Bloomberg notes.
While European allies are thinking about ways to reduce dependence on the US in security matters, Turkey, which has the second-largest army in NATO, could also play its card. However, it demands a high price for this, the agency writes. As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated, “Only full membership of Turkey in the Community can save the European Union from the impasse it finds itself in, both economically and defensively.”
