‘Nothing is more important than supporting Ukraine’ – Tusk and Zelensky discuss joint weapons purchases

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
By Grzegorz Adamczyk
3 Min Read

Poland’s new prime minister, Donald Tusk, has visited Kyiv for his first trip to a foreign capital since taking office last month and assured the Ukrainians of Poland’s support for Ukraine against Russian aggression. 

“I would like to appeal from here to European leaders who have not fully understood what Ukraine is fighting for today,” said Tusk, speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Anyone in the free world who pretends to be neutral deserves the darkest place in political hell,” said Tusk, adding that the situation in Ukraine was of a fight between “good and evil.”

“There is no more credible politician in the world working for peace today than President Zelensky,” continued the Polish prime minister.

“You deeply believe in your mission to bring peace to Europe and Ukraine,” he said to Zelensky.

In a post on X, Tusk shared a photo of him and Zelensky under the tag: “Welcome, friend.”

Tusk stressed during his visit that while there may be political conflicts in Poland, he and Polish President Andrzej Duda were on the same page when it came to supporting Ukraine and its Euroatlantic ambitions.

“Nothing is more important than supporting Ukraine,” added Tusk.

Zelensky, for his part, thanked Poland for all of its support and revealed that he and Tusk had discussed increasing military aid through a loan from Poland and conducting joint arms purchases.

Tusk told reporters that Poland was ready to supply arms to Ukraine and that both countries would seek sources of financing on a commercial basis, with the emphasis being on both countries taking an interest in each other’s security and interests. 

Zelensky said that the two men had discussed the situation on the border concerning the protests by Polish truckers and farmers against Ukrainian competition. 

Tusk brought with him Paweł Kowal, a former deputy foreign minister and current MP, presenting him as the government’s newly appointed tsar for supporting the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Zelensky assured the Polish leader that Polish firms would be very welcome during the rebuilding of the country.

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