Tusk on the summit of the countries of NATO’s eastern flank: Poland is becoming the pillar of this format

The alliance including the Scandinavians, the Balts and Poland is bringing serious results; we are the pillar of this format, said Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the day before the first summit in history of the countries of NATO’s eastern flank in Helsinki.

Tusk was asked about the summit in Helsinki on Monday in Wrocław, before his departure to Berlin for a meeting of the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy with the president of Ukraine, devoted to the issue of a ceasefire in Ukraine.

“As you know, from the beginning of my term I have attached great importance to establishing closer – in terms of military issues, cooperation in the Baltic Sea, and generally the security of the eastern flank – relations with our Scandinavian and Baltic partners,” said Tusk. He noted that representatives of Romania will also appear at the summit for the first time.

The Prime Minister emphasized that this “very close alliance, which includes both the Scandinavians, the Balts and Poland” is his most important achievement as far as regional policy is concerned, and that Poland has become “the pillar of this format.” “I place really great hopes in this,” he added.

The first-ever summit of the countries of the eastern flank of the European Union will be held in Helsinki on 16 December; it will be devoted to threats to Europe’s security and defense readiness, especially on the border with Russia, the Finnish government office reported on Monday.

The Finnish authorities have invited to Helsinki representatives of the authorities of seven European Union countries bordering Russia: from the Baltic states – the Prime Minister of Estonia Kristena Michala, the Prime Minister of Latvia Evikę Silinę and the President of Lithuania Gitanasa Nausedę, as well as the prime ministers of: Poland – Donalda Tuska, Sweden – Ulfa Kristerssona and Bulgaria – Rosena Żelazkowa, and the President of Romania Nicusora Dana.

The subject of the talks of the region’s leaders will be the ongoing threat posed by Russia, as well as the need to respond to it through greater involvement of the European community and EU institutions in defense investments on the eastern flank. (15.12.2025)