Tusk opens recovery talks Urges truth and solidarity

Jun 25

In his full Gdańsk opening speech, Donald Tusk welcomes political and business leaders and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko as co-host. He says thousands will work for two days on Ukraine's postwar reconstruction. He presents Europe's unity and solidarity against aggression as a historic mission and uses Gdańsk's wartime destruction and rebuilding as an analogy for restoring Ukrainian cities. He expresses belief that Ukraine will withstand Russian aggression and that a postwar future can come soon through solidarity. Reconstruction, he says, also concerns people and community: Ukraine rightly seeks a united Europe, and true unity requires understanding history and willingness to reconcile. Citing former European adversaries' ability to cooperate, he appeals to Poles, Ukrainians and other Europeans for truth, mutual respect and a shared future. He recalls witnessing Solidarity's birth at the shipyard, pledges to do what he can, asks others to help and wishes the delegates successful business and political talks. These are appeals and beliefs; he announces no specific financial agreement, war-end date or new legal accession condition.

During his 25 June 2026 Gdańsk speech, Donald Tusk says Ukraine's reconstruction involves people and community as well as infrastructure. He endorses Ukraine's wish to be part of a united Europe and argues that genuine unity requires understanding history and willingness to reconcile. Invoking cooperation among European nations once divided by World War II, he appeals to his Polish compatriots, Svyrydenko's Ukrainian compatriots and other Europeans to build their shared future on truth, mutual respect and historical understanding. He calls for openness to the past and especially the future. This is a public reconciliation appeal, not a new legal accession condition or an agreed settlement of a historical dispute.