Donald Tusk, the erstwhile Prime Minister of Poland, known for his frequent commentation on global events, was a major accident. In his entry on the X platform (formerly Twitter), referring to the Russian attack on Ukraine, he called the night from Tuesday to Wednesday "Christmas Night". The problem is that both in Russia and Ukraine, which mostly profess Orthodoxy, Christmas is celebrated according to the Julian calendar, and Christmas is not until January 6. Tusk seems to have forgotten the difference.
Tusk wrote:
On Christmas night, Russia launched a mass rocket attack on Ukrainian cities. During this time, Orban called Putin an honest partner of Hungarians.
This phrase was to make a clear emotion and emphasize the cruelty of Russia during the symbolic "Christmas Night". Unfortunately, for Prime Minister Tusk, it was a simple December night in Orthodox countries, which have yet to wait for Christmas Eve.
International policies require precision, especially erstwhile delicate issues like war and religion are raised. An effort to build a communicative about a "wigilian" attack, based on the Western calendar, reveals a deficiency of knowing of cultural and spiritual differences, which is simply a large accident in the case of the erstwhile head of the European Council.
Next target: Viktor Orban and PiS
In the same entry Tusk besides attacked Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who in a Christmas interview called Vladimir Putin "an honest partner of Hungarians". Marcin Romanowski, erstwhile Deputy Minister of Justice, who, according to Tusk, “has patiently learned Hungarian: Boldog Karácsonyt (Happy Christmas)’.
Although it can be agreed that Orbán's words to Putin are controversial and the Roman case raises questions, the intertwining of the "vigilous attack" thread only undermines the credibility of the narrative. The impression this entry leaves is sloppyness and an effort to play on emotions at the expense of facts.
War and politics, as well as Christmas Eve
Russia's rocket attack on Ukraine was undoubtedly an act of brutality and ruthlessness worthy of condemnation. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 59 rockets and 54 drones were shot down, but subsequent strikes damaged the country's energy infrastructure. However, alternatively of focusing on it, Tusk chose the way of inexpensive sensationalism, utilizing the incorrect mention to the "wigilious" context.
Donald Tusk should remember that precision and cognition of facts are key in global communication, especially in hard times of war. This time the deficiency of cognition of the Orthodox calendar took the seriousness of his words, making them an easy mark for criticism. Hopefully the next entries are more thoughtful and little emotional – in the end we anticipate more from leaders than catchy but unsuccessful phrases.
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