Speaking during a panel on European defense at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Nawrocki appeared alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
“We still feel threatened by Russia; we are in the middle of a hybrid war,” Nawrocki said, expressing hope that peace in Ukraine is drawing closer. He added, “We must never have to answer the question posed by this panel—whether Europe can defend itself alone—when it comes to a kinetic war.”
The Polish president called the United States “Poland’s most important ally” and said that NATO remains stable despite recent friction over U.S. demands regarding Greenland. He said Europe must show unity but also build strong transatlantic ties. “The Greenland issue should be solved through diplomacy,” he added.
Nawrocki also acknowledged that the European Union has “serious problems” ensuring its own security and said pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump had helped push European defense spending higher during last year’s NATO summit in The Hague.
NATO chief Rutte echoed Nawrocki’s concerns, warning that Ukraine risks running out of interceptor missiles. “Ukraine must remain priority number one,” he said.
Rutte acknowledged ongoing behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts to address transatlantic tensions surrounding Trump’s demands to annex Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory. He added that “President Trump and other leaders are right” to call for more action from NATO to protect the Arctic from Russian and Chinese influence.
“The only solution to the Greenland issue,” Rutte said, “is thoughtful diplomacy.”
(jh)
Source: PAP