“The most important question for Europe is whether the United States is ready to be as loyal as expected by our (NATO) treaties,” he asked. In his interview with the British newspaper, Tusk also stressed the need to strengthen the defense capabilities of the European Union itself. In his view, the Community should transform into a “real alliance” capable of actually defending the continent, including by strengthening the provisions of Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union, the mutual defense clause.

An Imminent Threat

What surprised international observers most is that Tusk spoke of an imminent military threat from Russia. “This is a truly serious matter. I am referring to the short-term perspective, months rather than years,” he emphasized, referring to the risk of a potential Russian attack on an Alliance member state.

Many chancelleries around the world have wondered if Tusk knows things that others may not. Or perhaps Tusk is launching these warnings as an element of a domestic Polish and international “political game”.

Domestic Reactions

Tusk’s words also surprised the Polish President. “As Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I am in constant contact with the Polish generals, who were also surprised by the Prime Minister’s words,” said Karol Nawrocki, who asked the head of government for clarification regarding the real nature of the Prime Minister’s statements. “Attacking our strategic ally, the United States, and undermining the articles of the Atlantic Alliance must be considered very irresponsible and imprudent,” the president declared.

Donald Tusk’s doubt about U.S. loyalty is consistent with the anti-American trend that has spread in the European Union. This school of thought is inspired by Berlin, noted the leader of the opposition PiS party, Jarosław Kaczyński, in a post on X. “Once again, Tusk has been deceived and has followed Berlin’s instructions, attacking the Americans and effectively undermining Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which guarantees mutual defense among allies,” Kaczyński wrote.

Historian Prof. Mieczyslaw Ryba recalled that “previously, Donald Tusk had aligned himself with the EU and with the German policy of rapprochement with Putin’s Russia (…) Now, Donald Tusk is also embracing the mainstream of European politics and hopes to obtain certain advantages”. “He has already chosen the German option, the Brussels option, and therefore believes that this is the operating method that will give him even more credibility there,” the expert emphasized.

Marcin Przydacz, head of the International Policy Office at the Presidential Chancellery, was also very critical: “Undermining the loyalty of the United States plays into the hands of Russian disinformation and hybrid operations conducted by the Kremlin”. “The Russian Federation wants to undermine trust in the security guarantees of the allies. It does this notoriously, testing the reaction of public opinion,” Przydacz added.

Political Strategy and U.S. Troops

Those who follow political life in Poland will remember that as far back as 2014, during the European Parliament campaign, Tusk launched threats of war with Russia if his Civic Platform (PO) party did not win. Even then, Tusk was trying to play on negative emotions in society. Playing on emotions, dividing Polish society, and manipulating it has always been his method of political action.

Tusk’s interview was published during a delicate period of discussions regarding the stationing of American soldiers in Europe. The United States announced the withdrawal of 5,000 military personnel from Germany following days of tension between Donald Trump and Friedrich Merz. Subsequently, the U.S. President reiterated that the level of American forces in Germany will decrease significantly. Trump also considers a downsizing of forces deployed in Italy and Spain as “likely”.

In this context, Tusk, returning from a meeting in Armenia on May 4, told journalists aboard a government plane that Poland “should not try to grab” the U.S. soldiers being withdrawn from Germany. “I will not allow Poland to be used to undermine solidarity or cooperation at the European level,” he added.

This stance by Tusk appears truly absurd: first he launches “news” of an imminent Russian attack, likely including Poland, and then he rejects the hypothesis of welcoming American soldiers who could be a valid deterrent to such an attack. The Polish premier’s words have sparked an uproar online because, once again, Tusk has put Germany’s interests ahead of Poland’s.

The leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jarosław Kaczyński, stated decisively: “Tusk is Berlin. Today, no reasonable person can deny it”.

The Italian article was published on the website of La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana.