head european People’s Party, Donald Tusk said farewell to his role as chair during a two-year tenure on Tuesday, urging a defense of core values amid growing global divisions highlighted by the war in Ukraine.
In his final address to the congress that will soon confirm Germany, Manfred Weber, as his successor, the former President of the Council of Europe described the current era as a looming threat of a third world conflict. He framed the moment as a clear test of where the European Union stands and which principles will define its course.
He noted that the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, China policy, Brexit, and the US election cycle have exposed deep fault lines across the globe. Russian aggression, he argued, has underscored the nature of these divisions and underscored how interests are often used to justify actions. Yet he stressed that there is no room for compromise when fundamental values are at stake.
According to Tusk, Russia does not hide its intention to confront Ukraine as a direct clash with the broader Western bloc, including the United States, the European Union, and the alliance it underpins. He recalled NATO’s central role and described the intertwining of Vladimir Putin’s political approach with a broader illiberal stance that has taken root in parts of Europe.
In today’s European landscape, the decision to part ways with Viktor Orbán was presented as a defining moment. Orbán is portrayed as a persistent ally of the Kremlin and a champion of a new, illiberal model of governance that aligns with a reshaped authoritarian framework. The Polish politician highlighted Orbán’s influence and urged scrutiny of leaders who challenge shared democratic norms.
Appreciation was extended for the move by Fidesz to distance itself from the European People’s Party, a shift accepted by Weber as the sole candidate to lead the bloc after the departure. The comment described the decision as a display of quiet courage and emphasized that the debates will always represent the right side of history in the long run.
Tusk spoke of a leader who seeks compromise but never at the expense of essential values. He credited that individual with taking a stand for fundamental issues even when it meant standing alone, and he credited this person with helping navigate the party through disputes such as the Fidesz situation and related rule-of-law concerns, including cases like Nord Stream 2.
Previously, Poland’s former Prime Minister, who left the EPP presidency to reassume leadership of the opposition Civil Platform ahead of the 2023 general elections, reflected on the need for personal accountability. He underscored the importance of standing up for shared principles and acknowledged the solidarity shown by fellow citizens toward Ukrainian refugees and the broader democratic cause.
He expressed a clear aim to win the next round in the effort to restore democratic norms, rule of law, and freedom of expression, stressing that a secure Europe hinges on the existence of free, independent Ukraine and a democratic Poland as core pillars of regional stability and safety.