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Polish PM holds talks with Baltic, Nordic leaders at EU summit

14.12.2023 17:30
Poland's new prime minister has held talks with the leaders of Baltic and Nordic countries, as well as his counterparts from the Czech Republic and Ireland, on the sidelines of a European Union summit in Brussels.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the European Union-Western Balkans summit in Brussels on December 13, 2023.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the European Union-Western Balkans summit in Brussels on December 13, 2023.PAP/EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET

Donald Tusk met with fellow EU leaders in the Belgian capital on Thursday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

The two-day European Council meeting focuses on further EU support for Ukraine and its people amid the Russian invasion, as well as EU enlargement, efforts to bolster the bloc's security and defence capability.

On Wednesday, the Polish prime minister took part in the EU-Western Balkans summit in Brussels.

On Thursday, Tusk attended a meeting with the leaders of the Baltic and Nordic countries and Ireland, according to Polish government officials.

Participants included Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Latvia's Prime Minister Evika Silina, Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausėda, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, and Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, the PAP news agency reported.

Later in the day, the Polish prime minister held separate talks with Czech counterpart Petr Fiala, reporters were told.

Meanwhile, Poland's Minister for Europe, Adam Szłapka, said EU leaders would have to overcome opposition from Hungary to reach an agreement on accession talks with Ukraine and EUR 50 billion in further financial aid for Kyiv.

Szłapka added that the Polish delegation would seek to ensure that the EU summit concludes with an "unequivocal message" in support of Ukraine, public broadcaster Polish Radio's IAR news agency reported.

Poland's Tusk on Wednesday held a phone call with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

The two discussed EU enlargement and further support for Ukraine, with Zelensky inviting the Polish prime minister to Kyiv, the IAR news agency reported.

In a video address to the EU summit, Zelensky on Thursday urged the bloc's leaders to open membership talks with his country, and to "not betray the people and their faith in Europe," the Reuters news agency reported.

Ukraine's president said his country had met EU conditions on reforms to be granted membership talks.

Hungary's Orban, meanwhile, maintained his opposition to further financial aid for Kyiv, and to starting accession talks with Ukraine, according to news outlets.

He argued that Ukraine had not met EU conditions for starting accession talks.

All of the EU's other 26 national leaders have backed a plan to start accession talks with Ukraine, according to officials.

Hungary is blocking the decision, which has to be unanimous, Reuters reported.

NATO chief urges further military aid for Ukraine

NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told the EU summit that allies must continue military support for Kyiv as Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression "may not stop" at Ukraine, the IAR news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged the EU to "limit new expenditures" to maintain financial aid for Ukraine's defence against the Russian invasion, according to news outlets.

The European Council meeting runs until Friday. 

Thursday is day 659 of Russia's war on Ukraine.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.

(pm/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters