On the first anniversary of the Russian armed attack on Ukraine, Donald Tusk tweeted the word “solidarity” in Ukrainian. However, it is worth recalling what he had to say as then Prime Minister in 2014 when Russia began to annex Crimea.
The head of Civic Platform tries to present himself as a great ally of defending Ukraine. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has repeatedly referred to the actions of the Tusk government, the change in eastern policy and the intensification of cooperation with Russia. The head of government also pointed to the failure of Tusk’s policy as head of the European Council. Tusk himself summed up the first anniversary of the outbreak of war in Ukraine on Twitter with the word “solidarity” written in Ukrainian. What did that solidarity look like in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea?
Tusk scoffs at Kaczyński’s demands
On February 25, 2014, Donald Tusk spoke at a press conference after the government meeting. He was accompanied by Radosław Sikorski, the then foreign minister. This was the beginning of the annexation of Crimea by Russia. On February 25, a demonstration was held in Simferopol, the participants of which demanded the convening of an extraordinary session of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the holding of a referendum on independence, and the Speaker of the Crimean Parliament, Vladimir Konstantinov, said that he did not recognize the law of the Kiev Supreme Court. Ukrainian flags disappeared from public buildings and were replaced by the colors of Russia. A few hours later, the “little green men” arrived on the Ukrainian peninsula. Russian soldiers occupy government buildings.
At the time, the President of Law and Justice, Jarosław Kaczyński, raised the issue of taking real action by the then government of Donald Tusk. However, the head of the PO laughed at these calls.
A certain discussion is better cut with a knife. I don’t want Poles to be afraid. I heard: President Kaczyński believes that we have money here in the country that can be used on a large scale. He found a trillion zlotys, so maybe this is why it is believed that there is a large reservoir that can finance the economy of Ukraine
Tusk then sneered.
I will say responsibly – we don’t have that much money
– added the then Prime Minister, convinced that Ukraine’s economic and financial stability is in Poland’s interest, but “we will not tear ourselves apart”.
It is not that Poland will be a major donor here, ie the one who will give its money
– declared Donald Tusk, and Donald Tusk, in turn, blamed the Ukrainians themselves for the unwillingness to help.
It cannot be that we organize large financial resources for Ukraine, and these funds will continue to be wasted in Ukraine, for example by corrupt governments or oligarchs. Feedback is needed here
– said Tusk in 2014, adding that “Polish interests must be included in the policies of the entire European Union and, more generally, of the entire community of the West.”
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wkt/TT/TVP Parliament
Source: wPolityce