At the Swedish Harpsund, a summit of NB8-format states was held, where they discussed safety in the region and support for the fighting Ukraine. “The Ukrainians, based on Russia, make the remainder of us safe,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Poland proposed to make a joint patrol mission in the Baltic.
NB8 is an informal group composed of 5 Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and 3 Baltic countries: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. On Wednesday, representatives of these countries met in Harpsund to discuss the safety situation of the region, faced with ongoing changes. Poland was a peculiar guest of the summit. As Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden and host of the event, the summit took place at a very dynamic moment: North Korea has sent its soldiers to Ukraine, many countries are facing a hard political situation, and both organisations have changed their leadership in NATO and the European Union. – We are at a crucial minute erstwhile the future has not yet been saved. We have historical decisions ahead of us, and it is up to us to decide which way our countries and Europe will take," he said at the press conference. He added that all states, another than Russia, want peace and representatives of the states that participated in the deliberations intend to proceed to supply assistance to the war-torn Ukraine. "We are expanding our efforts to support the production of the defence manufacture in Ukraine, we will increase the stock of ammunition. We will strengthen Ukraine's energy infrastructure to aid it last the winter and support it on the way towards NATO and the European Union," he pointed out.
– I am convinced that we can all agree that present we are facing the same threats and we have akin answers," said Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He pointed out that the common position of the Baltic, Nordic and Polish states afraid all issues related to safety – Russia, Ukraine, active presence in NATO or transatlantic relations. – It is something uncommon and very valuable that there is specified visible solidarity and a common way of reasoning among us. We want to work together, and that's not a slogan. Today, we know better than always that we are stronger together," stressed the head of the Polish government.
– The threat is coming – said Prime Minister Tusk. He pointed out that today, Ukraine, which is facing Russia, cares about Europe's security. He added that the support given by individual countries to the war-torn country is crucial not only due to their values and ideas, but besides due to “our individual, individual but besides European interests”. – Independent Ukraine means safer Poland, safer Sweden, Norway, Europe and the full West. That is why we cannot stay in our support for Ukraine. If Ukraine loses, we all lose," he noted. He added that any consent to ceasefire on Russian conditions – demilitarisation, neutrality of Ukraine or the annexation of parts of its territories to Russia – would lead to destabilisation of the situation throughout the region.
The head of the Polish government besides pointed out that the war changed the situation in the region, but Poland, the Nordic and Baltic countries are neighbours and allies. He besides announced that all countries want to invest more in infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. This includes wind energy. “I don’t think I gotta tell on Swedish dirt how crucial safety at sea is,” he said. "Security, resilience and Ukraine will stay our priorities," he said. The head of the Polish government informed that he had so taken the initiative to set up a joint patrol mission to defend maritime infrastructure. It was interesting. We will work on details," added Donald Tusk.
