MEPs debate the priorities of Poland’s EU Presidency’s with Prime Minister Donald Tusk

Strasbourg, 22.01.2025

Prime Minister Donald Tusk presented the programme of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union at the plenary session of the European Parliament on 22 January. Read his full speech here.

(transcript)

Dear Roberta, dear friends, Europe is not yet lost as long as we are alive. These are paraphrased words of the Polish National Anthem. They reflect the mood palpable throughout Europe, a mood of uncertainty, of loss.

Today we talk about a certain spiritual crisis. So by your leave I want to share something with you. A more profound reflection than just a list of tasks ahead of us in the Polish Presidency.

All of us here in the Parliament, at least you who are interested in the detailed programme of work of the Polish Presidency, you know what tasks are important for us now. You will have realised security is of key import now. Our motto is Secure Europe.

We want to try and give an answer to this global hesitation. What will our future be? The future of Europe, the member state, the whole civilisation, political civilisation. We are dealing with a hot conflict on our borders.

We have to deal with technological progress, sometimes uncontrolled. All of this leads to this feeling of loss, of uncertainty on the part of a large number of our citizens. We are talking about a crisis of negative emotions, of spiritual fall.

But objectively speaking, Europe should not be fearful. There are no reasons for this. The most important words that should be uttered today in the Parliament are words directed to Europeans.

Raise your heads, Europeans. Europe was, is and will be great. Europe was and Europe will always be great.

It’s not just about political slogans. How often do we forget that Europe is nearly 450 million people, 27 proud member states, which over the years have been able to and are able to reconcile their common positions, sometimes in very difficult processes and sometimes under difficult circumstances. Financial crisis, terrorist crisis, migration crisis, the pandemic, the war on the eastern border.

Have a good look and bear in mind how determined the European member states and the institutions have been when dealing with these challenges. So there is no reason, absolutely no reason for Europe to conclude today that we should be in dire straits of any sort. Yes, some things have changed.

Some things have led to this increased feeling of uncertainty. But let me draw on my experience here in this Parliament, many years of experience. I spoke here during the first Polish presidency, also when I was president of the European Council.

So I remember quite well those crises of the past. And I remember well how well we did with all those challenges. We have the left, the right, more radical movements and less radical movements in the Parliament.

We have a huge political centre in the Parliament. In our national parliaments we squabble and quarrel, also here. But overall, as Europeans, we have been able, we are still able to find time and time again this shared ground, this feeling of commonness.

Some elements of this political community are being questioned. But this feeling of community has brought us here in this room, all of you together, irrespective of what parties you are representing. So let’s call a spade a spade.

Some think that there has been a political change in the US. This has led to some uncertainty in Europe. Some words have been spoken, some political declarations have been made.

But this is no reason, no ground for any spiritual fall. Yes, it is true that what is happening around us in Europe and farther away, this is a whole new set of challenges for us, for Europe. But Europe was created exactly to face such challenges.

We listened with great attention to the inaugural speech of President Trump. Leaders of other countries talk with great pride about their successes, about their achievements. We also have the right to speak with equal pride of our greatness in the past, in the present.

We have the right to speak with great belief about our future. We just have to open up our eyes and we shouldn’t somehow be surprised by what has happened, what has changed. Now, security, this is a key import to us, this is a priority to our presidency.

Security is extremely important in the day-to-day life of all of the Europeans. Let me tell you this, if we believe that a change of presidency, of administration in the US is a leap into the unknown, so remember this, Europe has never been afraid to leap into the unknown. I listen to other world leaders who remember their moments of greatness.

Let me tell you this, we also should keep in mind moments of glory, of greatness here in Europe. Europe was the birthplace of the greatest discoverers, inventors, strategists. We were never afraid of the unknown, we were never afraid of leaps of faith.

What is going on now is not a threat to Europe, it’s a great chance for us, a great opportunity. We can be competitive, not only in the economy, also in politics. In the past, we used to be courageous, unafraid, whether Alexander the Great, the Columbus, the Vikings, who actually discovered America, all of this is our history, this is Europe.

Now, the party is over, the time of conflict is over. Today, the new president of the US is saying that Europe needs to share our own, take on our shoulders our own share of the responsibility for our security. So, only an ally can wish another ally to get stronger.

This is not what an opponent of Europe would say. As regards the security cooperation between Europe, the US, Canada, the whole NATO, we still have to not only speak with one voice, but we have to take specific actions. Now, it is up to us to act.

When I listen to what is being said on the other side of the Atlantic, we shouldn’t be irritated, we shouldn’t be appalled. We remember what Kennedy said back in the day. What America can do for Europe and its security.

Ask what we ourselves can do for it. Don’t ask America what it can do for our security. Ask yourselves what we can do for our own security.

I believe that the European Union, national member states, will be the most precious ally. Also for Washington, if we take control of the security, if we stand on our feet, if we open our minds and our eyes, and when we see where the enemy is, where the risk is, where the emissions were, what are the sources of our weaknesses, as some say. I wouldn’t say it’s a weakness, because as I have said, we can be a power that is equal with the greatest.

We have the same share in the world’s GDP as the United States. When we talk about the threat posed by Russia today, I must tell you that when I hear certain statements, to me it is pathetic that some people in Europe have complexes against the demographic potential or economic potential of Russia. We need to believe again in our power.

The potential is a fact. We are strong, we’re equal to the greatest powers of the world. The only thing we have to do is to believe in it, and the facts are on our side.

When we talk about external security, the priority of European security is composed of seven elements. This is how we have designed it for the Polish presidency, external security. Some people think it’s extravagant, or it is a brutal or malicious warning when we say that we should spend up to 5% of GDP on our security.

I would like to tell you that this is a time when Europe cannot afford to save on security. I’m speaking as the prime minister of a country that is already spending almost 5% on its security. We are spending 5% not on our own security only, but also on the security of the whole of Europe, because it so happens that it is Poland that has such a long border with Russia and Belarus, and the friendly one with Ukraine, but a war border in a way at the moment.

I would like to underline clearly, I know that the Polish presidency will not be the force that will decide on that, but this is a warm appeal to everyone to stop thinking in a routine way. If Europe is to survive, it needs to be armed. It is not our choice.

I’m not a militarist. Poland is the place in the world where no one would like to see a repeat of any war. We have suffered greatly.

We have suffered most in Europe. And perhaps that is why we understand it so well, that in order to avoid the revisiting of history, we need to be armed, we need to be strong, and we need to be determined. Also in terms of our military capabilities.

So do not play down that appeal to spend 5%. Let’s be flexible in the ways we think. Let’s be creative.

It is today that we need to radically raise our expenditure on defense. Not forever, not until the end of time, but if we are to spend more time as national member states, as the U.S., NATO, it is today. Perhaps.

And I am fully convinced when I say that as the Polish prime minister, as a historian and as a European. We do not want to spend so much money on security, on armaments, on defense in the future. We need to invest more today.

That is why you need to think seriously about it. What depends on that is not only the future of Ukraine and the region, but of the whole of Europe and the whole of the world as we know it today. It depends on our capability to defend ourselves no matter who wants to help us and who wants to play against us.

Now, internal security. I remember that from this lectern, as the head of the European Council, I warned you against a naive approach to the threat of illegal migration. And a part of the room was rageful, sometimes they laughed, when contrary to what some people say, that Europe should be a continent without borders open to any legal or illegal newcomers.

Then, at that moment, I said that this boils down to our responsibility. It is the greatest responsibility of any authority for a safe border and a safe territory. If democracy is to survive, if the European values that I’m going to dwell upon in a while, a bit longer, are to survive, it cannot happen so that people will associate democracy with helplessness, with the lack of force.

These are the classical tasks for each authority, to defend its border and to defend its territories. Do you know why we talk about the crisis of trust in traditional policies in Europe so often? Do you know why political lunatics are the ones who speak out so loud? They say that the European democracy is something that is of no use. That is because we are not capable of defending our European border and European territory.

It is true. A lot of bad things happened. There was a lot of helplessness around the actions or the lack thereof on the part of democratic governments.

I would like to tell you that you can tackle the problem of illegal migration and problems with internal security in Europe without nationalistic and xenophobic slogans. I would like us in this domain, just as with external security, I’d like the traditional democracy based upon traditional democratic values such as individual freedoms, respect for minority rights, freedom of speech, rule of law, public life free from corruption, politics free from the omnipotence of oligarchs. I would like all of those who profess those values to show the power and their force when we need to defend our borders and our security.

Democracy needs to become strong again. The EU needs to become a synonym of power, of force, ethics, morality, laws, but also power. In politics, if you do not have power, you are worth of contempt.

You are pathetic. Information security. It sounds mysterious, but you know what I’m talking about.

We cannot be helpless against lies and disinformation, especially now when lies and disinformation have become a tool, have become a weapon in the hands of those who have attacked Ukraine and who are a threat for the whole of the EU. Respecting the freedom of speech, we need to be very strict about this. We need to find methods in order to make it impossible to interfere with our elections, with our democracies, especially by the Russian factories of disinformation and lies.

In this sphere of information, we cannot forget about protecting our children and our grandchildren against violence, against lies, against contempt towards other people. This is a matter of very deep reflection. I know it is a very difficult task.

We cannot fall into the trap of censorship, but we cannot be helpless against aggressors who use information as a weapon, just as they use immigrants on the Polish border as a weapon against European democracy. Security in the economy. Competition, free market, those are European ideas.

We have invented this as Europe. Later those ideas reached America, but we need to remember that they are European ideas. And I can see why Europe couldn’t become again the most creative, innovative economy.

This is also the task for the European Parliament. Well, I do not want to preach on you, but it seems to me that as the Parliament you need to tackle a major challenge, regardless of your political ideas and regardless of our political routines. I do know very well that the Polish Presidency, the Parliament, we are bound by the treaties.

We need to regulate. Our task is to regulate. Formally speaking, the task of the European Parliament is to adopt legal acts.

And I do know that it will take a lot of courage and a lot of effort to change. And this is my appeal, this is my plea. Take this effort to deregulate.

Let us be courageous and stay away from routines. The Polish Presidency, the institution should not only read the Draghi report and other words of warning. We should put up our sleeves and start working.

So we need to change the status quo. We need to propose to Europe a big campaign of deregulation. And the stakes are very high.

Our competitiveness is at stake. It will also depend on energy security, of course. It’s very well to talk about energy security all the time, but words are not enough.

Energy security has many dimensions. I do remember that in this room, in this chamber, I was trying to ring an alarm bell saying that we should not be dependent on Russia. Well, now I could be satisfied that I was right back then, but frankly speaking, I’m not satisfied, I’m not triumphant about this.

But let us draw this lesson from the past, regardless of our political ideas. Our sovereignty, our independence is dependent on our energy security, energy autonomy. Let us not delude ourselves.

After the war, even when the war is over, it will not be possible to come back to status quo. We cannot make Europe dependent again on Russian supplies. This dependency needs to be over forever because it was one of the reasons for the war.

And let us be clear about it. Energy security. Let me say a few more words about it.

Perhaps it will not be popular, it will not go down very well here with some of you, but energy security is about specific tasks. It’s unacceptable that our European energy is the most expensive. If it cannot be the cheapest one, at least it should be more or less on the same level as in other countries.

We have had a lot of reports on that, a lot of councils, a lot of debates, but now it’s time for action. Let us be honest, some of the EU regulations have unfortunately led to a situation in which the energy prices are high, too high. This is unacceptable.

We all want to compete against the US or China, but our energy prices are three times as high. How to be competitive in this situation? I do not think anyone here would call it into question that we need to protect environment, that we need to protect our climate. We are well aware of the potentially disastrous consequences that would follow in the case of no action, but there is a but.

We cannot afford not to be competitive. We do not want to be naive, because if we do go bankrupt as Europe, who will protect the environment instead of us? Who will take this role? Let us put our thinking caps on and have a review of all the legal acts, including those under the Green Deal. We should identify the problems, but we should also have the courage to change those rules that might result in excessively high, prohibitively high energy prices.

It is true. The emission trading schemes, too. High energy prices might bring the downfall of many democratic governments.

The issue is very serious. Let us realize this. Whether you are on the left, whether you are centrist, whether you are on the right, you should be aware of this.

Our citizens do want a safe natural environment. They do care about nature, but they do not want to have the highest energy prices, because it affects our citizens directly. Let us be courageous.

We need a deep reflection process on the potential quick introduction of ETS2. I would really like to warn you against this move. I have had some experience.

You can believe me. The political impact is terribly predictable. It will be a very bad, disastrous political impact if the energy prices continue to rise.

So let us pull ourselves together. Food security, yet another dimension of security. The recent years have showed very clearly what the situation is like.

Agriculture is a treasure for Poland and for Europe alike. And let us be vigilant. Let us be responsible.

Food security in Europe, it’s not only about self-sufficiency of Europe. It goes further. Our agricultural model is the best worldwide, but we need it to be sustainable.

And the Commission did react very quickly, much appreciated. I was one of those who were urging the Commission to act quickly and to alleviate the burden on our farmers. Instead of punishments, we want to incentivize.

We do care about nature, but pro-environmental actions are going to be effective if people subscribe to them, if people endorse those changes. The EU institutions should have positive associations with regard to agriculture and energy policy. If people think the EU equals burden, obligations, red tape, we are going to lose the army of people whom we need to protect our environment.

So common sense, common sense is needed. You all have your ideas. Some of you are quite radical, staunch supporters of certain ideologies.

But please believe me, millions of Europeans do not care so much about ideologies and deep thinking. What they want is common sense, courage, courageous thinking, thinking out of the box and common sense. Let me repeat this again, because this is priceless.

Health security. Well, I think facts speak for themselves, the pandemic. But we have also had other diseases and epidemics.

Mental health. Mental health with regard to young people. We need actions.

And we also need to protect our minors, our young people from the harmful impact of what is happening online. Let us not be indifferent, because we have had some scientific records proving what is happening to the brains of children and adolescents when they are exposed to certain contents online, to evil contacts that unfortunately are everywhere online. Our future is at stake.

Our future is dependent on the mental health of those who are children today, who are five to ten years old. Let us protect our children. They are our treasure.

Let us believe in ourselves again. We need new self-confidence. We want cooperation.

We need to rebuild this community and the faith in this community. And the very final words. Secure and safe Europe.

Perhaps it’s not the time to talk about the new European army. If we had an army today, the main discussion would be about the leader, who is the commander-in-chief, where to send the army. If Budapest were to decide, perhaps the decision would be different than it would have been, than it would be if Warsaw were to decide.

So let us not delude ourselves. Let us be practical. We can all agree with one thing.

European money, European efforts should be translated into safe external borders in the EU. We, as Poland, are holding the presidency today. But regardless of this, I would like to make a plea for you to look into this Polish-Finnish-Lithuanian project of the Eastern Shield.

We want to protect our borders from aggression. We want to protect our infrastructure. We want to use the tried and tested methods that have also been used in the context of the war triggered by Russia against Ukraine.

We want to protect our borders. I think we can all subscribe to this. We need to defend the European sky against missiles.

There are many joint enterprises which do not require a revolution. All it takes is determination, courage, common sense. Some member states do not want to spend more on defence.

They do not want new bonds, European bonds. They do not want to contract debts. I’ll be honest with you.

It’s not so important which method we are going to opt for to finance pan-European defence projects. There is something which is more important. And we should say it out loud.

There is no alternative. There is no choice. We need to be able to defend ourselves, which means that the European money needs to be spent on this purpose.

It’s not only about this 5% of GDP necessary during the war. We also need more investments as the EU in defence. Let us talk about technologies in the European Parliament and in the national parliaments, about financial techniques, about financial methods.

We can talk about the methodology. We can talk about how to do it. But we definitely need to do it to protect our joint area jointly.

Those are the very final words. Thank you for bearing with me, Madam President. Our future, our future is in our heads, in our hearts.

You have quoted the Polish Pope, John Paul II. You have quoted his words about the future. But we remember some other famous words pronounced by the Pope, the words that have inspired the solidarity movement and the whole of Europe when communism was falling in Poland.

Be not afraid. Let us not be afraid. That has inspired the Polish nation.

It has given us strength. It is all dependent on what will happen in our hearts, in our heads. It’s all up to us.

The future is in our hands, not in the hands of the Chinese or the American people.

My heart has the colours of white and red, like the Polish flag. And I’m looking forward to working with you together for the greatness of Europe. It will always be great. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Source – Polish EU Presidency