Tusk: Poland is not welcome at the table with Putin's people and US diplomats

In brief

• Prime Minister Tusk said in Dublin that Poland is not welcome at the table with Putin's envoys and US-organised talks on Ukraine.
• Poland was named, along with France, Germany, the UK, Italy and EU institutions, as part of an E5 negotiating format.
• Tusk opposed creating new European envoy posts and said Europe should focus on a unified position.

A European format with Poland included

Speaking to reporters in Dublin on Thursday, where he attended a summit of the European Political Community, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland is not welcome at the negotiating table in the war in Ukraine (Tusk: Polska nie jest mile widziana przy stole ludzi Putina i dyplomatów USA – RMF24) (Negocjacje pokojowe z Rosją. Donald Tusk: nie jesteśmy mile widziani – Onet). He pointed to the people working for Vladimir Putin and to the talks organised by American diplomats of President Donald Trump. Tusk said Russia's side has no interest in including a country seen as strongly anti-Russian, and that Poland is regarded that way. He also said Russia's delegation presents a position that is completely unacceptable.

There was no formal vote, he said, but the idea was broadly supported (Polska przy stole negocjacyjnym w sprawie wojny w Ukrainie. Donald Tusk: wszyscy to poparli – Onet). He added that the aim is to avoid unnecessary concessions to Russia and that no one is considering a revision of Europe's security architecture.

EU Council President Antonio Costa, according to Tusk, is the person who should speak for the E5 format alone during the talks. Costa later confirmed at a press conference that the European team will consist of EU institutions and the E5 group within the coalition of the willing, and that Europe must speak with one clear voice (Polska wśród państw negocjujących z Rosją w sprawie Ukrainy. Jest decyzja – Onet).

Tusk against new envoys

Tusk rejected a growing debate over who should represent Europe in talks between Ukraine and Russia ("Polska nie jest mile widziana". Premier wprost, pytano o rozmowy z Rosją – Interia Wydarzenia). He said he would not join those who keep proposing candidates and that Poland did not want to take part in a race between presidents and prime ministers for seats at the table. In his view, Europe already has enough formats and institutions, including the Commission, the President of the European Council and the high representative, and should focus on a unified position rather than new formats.

Tusk also said he is consulted daily and that Poland's problem is not a lack of participation but an excess of meetings.