“Of course, Donald Tusk’s words may also be a matter of a certain capacity for vassalage. Since for many years – including during the prime minister’s own governments – we were a vassal of Berlin or Brussels, there is no room left in that basket for the United States,” assessed Polish President Karol Nawrocki. He also called on Tusk to make a decision on whether – or not – Poland should join the Peace Council.
On Wednesday, a meeting of the National Security Council was held at the Presidential Palace. According to the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland (KPRP), the announced topics included the SAFE program – providing nearly €44 billion in EU loans for defense – the issue of Poland being invited to join the Peace Council established on the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump, and “clarification of all circumstances surrounding the eastern social and business contacts of the Speaker of the Sejm, Włodzimierz Czarzasty.”
Although Prime Minister Donald Tusk left the meeting before it concluded, the following morning he eagerly spoke about the president’s initiative.
“Poland in this alliance is not and will not be – as long as I am Prime Minister of the Polish government – a vassal. It will be a loyal, faithful, reliable ally, but it will not be a vassal in relations with any country in the world. The president probably has a different opinion on this matter,” he said regarding the Peace Council.
President Responds to Tusk
Asked about Tusk’s remarks in an interview with Polsat News, President Karol Nawrocki replied:
“Of course, Donald Tusk’s words may also be a matter of a certain capacity for vassalage. Since for many years, including during the prime minister’s governments, we were a vassal of Berlin or Brussels, there is no room left in that basket for the United States. I do not know which vassalage Prime Minister Tusk is referring to, because I am not aware of such relations.”
Asked whether he plans to attend the upcoming Peace Council meeting in Washington in a few days, he responded that no decision has yet been made – but he remains in contact with the U.S. administration. As a reminder, the government has not clearly specified its position on the matter.
“It would be good to have the voice of the entire region in the Peace Council. Here, the prime minister and the government are behaving like Pontius Pilate, publicly saying on the one hand that the government will not initiate Poland’s entry into the Peace Council, and on the other hand not adopting a resolution,” he said.
In response to a reminder of Tusk’s statement that the government is giving the president a free hand and “if he wants to, then let him fly,” Nawrocki admitted: “In this context, from beginning to end, we are in a sense hostages of the prime minister. In the sense that the government must initiate Poland’s entry into the Peace Council, and the president can conclude this process.”
“The prime minister will not tell me where I am to fly. Mr. Editor, what kind of words are these? The prime minister may tell his son where he may fly, or his granddaughters. The prime minister will not tell the President of Poland where he may fly. I can fly wherever I want,” he added.
“Make a Decision”
The head of state appealed to Tusk to take a clear position on whether Poland should – or should not – join the Peace Council. He reiterated that it is the prime minister who must decide whether Poland wants to enter the Peace Council.
“When there was the treaty in Nancy, for example with France, the government prepared it, conducted it, prepared the negotiations – the government inspired it, the law went through parliament. And after two years of those negotiations, or after a year and a half, I could have said ‘actually, no,’ because I did not like five things. Indeed, there were some things I did not like, although I consider France our strategic partner. I did not do so out of respect for the Republic of Poland on the international stage,” he recalled.
“Now negotiations are ongoing with the United Kingdom, and ultimately the government is also the one inspiring them, while the president must conclude them. So I regularly appeal to the prime minister: Prime Minister, please make a decision – do you want Poland to be in the Peace Council or not – so that I can make the final decision,” President Nawrocki said.