Tusk backs allied unity Ukraine and Gdańsk preview

Jun 24

In his complete Berlin statement, Donald Tusk thanks Starmer, credits him with making Europe, Poland and Britain feel safer and says his work helped people forget Brexit for a time. Tusk says the E5 gathering reaffirms European and transatlantic unity, which he regards as essential to Europe's and Ukraine's future. He pledges support for Ukraine against Russia and preservation of transatlantic ties despite political differences. He calls for representation of the directly threatened eastern-flank countries, naming Poland, Scandinavia, the Baltic states and Romania. He previews the next day's Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, expecting hundreds of company leaders, diplomats and other heads of government, and describes reconstruction and Ukraine assistance as its purpose. In this German-interpreted recording he gives Poland's defence-spending figure as nearly 7%, after a hesitation; the passage does not specify its denominator. He urges greater European and national defence efforts and expects a common position. The figure remains an attributed interpreted claim, and the conference remarks are an advance account rather than evidence of completed proceedings.

In his June 24 Berlin statement, Tusk says the Ukraine Recovery Conference will take place the following day in Gdańsk. He expects hundreds of company leaders, diplomats and other heads of state and government and presents it as a Polish and European contribution to Ukraine's reconstruction and assistance, including the country's postwar future. This event records his substantive public preview. It does not claim the conference's proceedings, investments or outcomes have already occurred.