Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on the European Union (EU) to mobilize at least 100 billion euros ($108 billion) for defense and build a common air defense system.
According to Bloomberg, the above call was made by Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a meeting of EU politicians and businessmen recently held in the city of Katowice in southern Poland. Mr. Tusk said that in the coming years, the EU needs to focus on protecting European borders and strengthening defense potential “enough to deter potential enemies”. “Increasing spending and spending appropriately on Europe’s security will keep war away from Europe’s borders for a long time, maybe forever,” the Polish leader asserted.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke at the event in the city of Katowice, southern Poland. Photo: PAP
Reuters quoted Prime Minister Tusk as proposing that a common air defense system must become a European project; emphasized that this is a financial effort to build a dome covering Europe. According to him, the EU “has more initiatives and meetings than actual actions to protect European skies”. In his speech, Prime Minister Tusk said that Poland wants to join the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI). This is an initiative initiated by Germany from 2022 with the expectation that it will increase safety for the entire Europe.
Under Germany’s leadership, ESSI aims to strengthen Europe’s air defense capabilities through the joint procurement of air defense systems by European countries such as the US Patriot, Germany’s IRIS-T or the US Arrow 3. Israel. This is seen as a multinational and multifaceted approach, providing a flexible way for European countries to strengthen deterrence and defense capabilities in an effective, cost-effective way, instead of each nations must race to build their own air defense systems.
While to date there have been 21 countries participating in ESSI, what is of concern is that France – a leading European force – refuses to participate in this initiative with the view that ESSI creates a new dependence of the region on other countries. Outside countries and businesses produce air defense systems. ESSI has also been criticized as a German project. PAP quoted Prime Minister Tusk as emphasizing that ESSI should become “a European project” because “Europe will be safe as long as the European sky is safe”.
Prime Minister Tusk made the above proposals in the context that Poland itself – a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – is strengthening its defense potential by spending 4% of its gross product. domestic product (GDP)/year for defense – the highest defense spending level in NATO (in terms of percentage). Poland is considered to often speak out strongly on defense and security issues of NATO and the EU. Along with that, recently in the EU, there has been a persistent controversy between two opposing views, with one side supporting the bloc to have “strategic autonomy” and the other side believing that there is currently “no alternative.” any credibility” for NATO’s “security umbrella”.
Bloomberg said that at the meeting in Katowice, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen expressed support for the Polish Prime Minister’s proposals. According to Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, the EU needs to “rebuild, renew and transform” its military forces. Firstpost quoted the EC President as emphasizing that the EU needs to increase defense spending and appoint a specialized defense official to support the bloc’s defense industry.
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