Poland should be involved in discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, the Polish prime minister said on Tuesday, after the leaders of Britain, Germany and France met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London and said they supported ceasefire talks.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s absence from the talks in London has raised questions in Warsaw as to whether Poland is being sidelined as Western European powers try to steer Kyiv towards talks with Moscow in the near future.
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“I’m... very cautious regarding the ideas emerging in Western Europe about initiating some kind of dialogue or conversation with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin regarding Ukraine as quickly as possible,” Tusk told a news conference.
Poland has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine, its eastern neighbour, in its more than four-year-old war against invading Russian forces, contributing financial and military help. It has also emerged as one of the biggest spenders on defense in NATO.
In a joint statement on Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron commended Zelenskyy’s call for an end to the war and the proposal for direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, with active US and European participation.
Tusk also expressed dissatisfaction with the ‘E3’ format which comprises Britain, France and Germany but excludes Ukraine’s other European allies.
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“I spoke with (Italy’s) Prime Minister (Giorgia) Meloni, who is not thrilled that this format exists,” Tusk said. “Any arrangements in which Poland does not participate will not be binding on Poland.”
Tusk said a meeting would take place on Ukraine in the “coming days” that would include Poland and Italy as well as Britain, Germany and France.
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