9mo ago

Europe must get ready for looming war, Donald Tusk warns

www.theguardian.com Europe must get ready for looming war, Donald Tusk warns

Polish prime minister urges countries to step up defence spending after Russian missile bound for Ukraine breaches airspace

The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, says Europe is entering a “prewar” era, cautioning that the continent is not ready and urging European countries to step up defence investment.

In an interview with a group of European newspapers reported by the BBC, Tusk said: “I don’t want to scare anyone, but war is no longer a concept from the past. It’s real and it started over two years ago.”

Tusk’s comments came days after a Russian missile briefly breached Polish airspace during a major attack on Ukraine, prompting Warsaw to put its forces on heightened readiness. Ukrainian officials have said large-scale Russian missile and drone attacks had targeted energy infrastructure.

Tusk has been using his platform to try to add a sense of urgency to Europe’s debates about defence and aid to Ukraine, amid fears about the future of American assistance and concerns about defence industrial capacity.

35 comments

A better Donald T?
- You know it used to be that when I heard the name "Donald" I thought of a Disney character. Does anyone even remember that guy?
  
  Canonically, he's a socialist war vet with PTSD. He's constantly telling off scrooge in the comics.
  
  Went around naked from the waist down, right?
  Happier times!
- That's damning with faint praise if I ever saw it 😄
- The real Donald T.
  
  All the other Donald T. s are just imitating
- He is the Republican elephant.
  
  Just the tusk

These war mongers instantly getting the billions that supposedly never existed for climate change.
- Confused why you think security from being invaded should be tied to climate change?
  
  you're both making valid points - but I think Linker's point was that "we simply don't have the money to fight climate change" loses a bit of credibility when it suddenly appears to fight the bogeyman.
  
  Not confused.
  Many European countries have reduced their military spending because of the tax-wallet, and Tusk is right to increase it.
  Yet, the bigger threat of losing livable planet is still in a negotiation phase when it comes to funding; projects that will need to be paid by the ( inescapable ) the tax-wallet.
  
  Climate change is also an imminent emergency. The conparison is apt. Funding was always the problem. If it was cheaper or same cost to be green, everyone already would be. Both are a threat. It just happens that a threat involving enrichment of entrenched companies in the military industrial complex is easier to approve than those portrayed as tree hugging hippies.
  
  One is a real threat that will likely kill us all. The other is unrealistic fearmongering that has been going on for decades. Nobody is going to attack Europe.
  More money for war crimes to start shit in the middle east doesn't help. Let our governments find some diplomatic solutions for once.

Between climate change being posed to create chaos, Russia trying to recreate the USSR, and capitalism doing capitalism things, I don't know if he's actually wrong. 😔

This is the best summary I could come up with:
The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, says Europe is entering a “prewar” era, cautioning that the continent is not ready and urging European countries to step up defence investment.
In an interview with a group of European newspapers reported by the BBC, Tusk said: “I don’t want to scare anyone, but war is no longer a concept from the past.
Tusk’s comments came days after a Russian missile briefly breached Polish airspace during a major attack on Ukraine, prompting Warsaw to put its forces on heightened readiness.
The Polish prime minister said that regardless of the outcome of the US election this year, Europe would become a more attractive partner for Washington if it became more self-sufficient militarily.
In his comments this week, Tusk underscored the importance of cooperation between Poland, Germany and France, a format known as the Weimar Triangle.
“Even the closest of friends have conflicting interests and viewpoints at times,” the Polish leader said in a press conference this week alongside his Ukrainian counterpart.
The original article contains 529 words, the summary contains 167 words. Saved 68%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

Who hurt you Poland!?
- It's a long list actually
  
  Yeah that's the joke.
- Russia and Germany.
  
  That's the joke, yes.

O waow the neoliberal is war mongering.... yawn

Oh my he better get in shape asap to be on the frontlines
- He's not saying they should go on the offensive. He's saying Europe needs to be prepared in case they get attacked.
- Donald Tusk is the Prime Minister of Poland.
  
  so he won't be in the frontlines, he'll be safe. got it.
- What does this have to do with anything

35 comments