“I know it sounds devastating, especially to people of the younger generation, but we have to mentally get used to the arrival of a new era,” he said. “The pre-war era. I don’t exaggerate. This is becoming more and more apparent every day.”
Amid Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which started in February 2022, Western allies and top military officials have become increasingly worried about a potential spillover of violence — despite Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly denying any intentions to attack NATO.
Last week, a Russian missile entered Polish airspace, prompting Warsaw to activate F-16 fighter jets, in what Tusk called a “troubling incident.”
But while tumult is on the horizon, Tusk warned that Europe is not ready to face the threat.
“We must be ready. Europe still has a long way to go,” he said. The first step is for countries to meet NATO’s target of spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense, he added.
“Today we have to spend as much as we can to buy equipment and ammunition for Ukraine, because we are living in the most critical moment since the end of the Second World War,” he said. “The next two years will decide everything. If we cannot support Ukraine with enough equipment and ammunition, if Ukraine loses, no one in Europe will be able to feel safe.”
