'No compromise' if Orban, Fico question Ukraine: Polish PM

Agence France Presse ^ | February 26, 2024 | AFP Staff Writers

[jacknhoo]

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday that "no compromise" was possible with his Hungarian and Slovak counterparts if they decline to openly support Ukraine facing Russia's invasion.

Tusk will meet Czech, Hungarian and Slovak premiers Petr Fiala, Viktor Orban and Robert Fico in Prague on Tuesday at a meeting in the so-called Visegrad group.

Support for Ukraine has sown division among the four-nation group of Central European nations -- all NATO and European Union members -- as Orban and Fico have criticised military support for Ukraine.

Orban blocked a 50 billion euro EU aid package for months while Fico has refused to provide military aid to war-ravaged Ukraine, questioning its sovereignty and calling for peace with Russia.

"If you are a NATO and EU member, by definition and by the very nature of this membership you have to support Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion," Tusk told reporters.

"If someone fails to understand this, and I will say this openly in Prague tomorrow, they place themselves ... outside our communities, and there is no compromise to be made on this," he told reporters.

Tusk said he would say this to Orban "in the eyes" when they meet in Prague, and added he was "stunned" by Fico's recent statements on Ukraine.

"It won't be a pleasant or simple encounter," Tusk said after meeting Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau in Warsaw.

Tusk added that the meeting would be a "test" of the Visegrad group.

He said that upon his return home, he would say "openly" if the four-country club still has a reason to exist.

The Visegrad group was founded in 1991, two years after the four countries had ended four decades of Soviet-led communist rule.

Given the historic experience with Moscow-led communist rule, "it is a paradox that Budapest and Bratislava send out these ambiguous signals concerning (President Vladimir) Putin and Russia these days", added Tusk.

[jacknhoo]

Facing a Ukrainian loss that would expose of lies used to justify military industrial complex's wars abroad and incubating civil war against the USA, it has doubled down on implementing World War III to achieve it's atheist neopagan fascist world government.

You all have witnessed that neither Ukraine or Russia will be allowed to end this war.

Only a President Trump 2024/47 could end this war.

[Leaning Right]

Tusk is just another EU tyrant. He is very upset that Hungary and Slovakia are behaving like independent nations and not like EU provinces.

It is heartbreaking that Poland should elect such a person.

As for Trump being the only person able to end this war, I certainly agree. This war can only be ended by careful compromise. Trump could pull that off.

[McGruff]

The EU and NATO showing cracks already. I’m shocked.

[bantam]

Poland just elected a far lefty. Their problems are just starting sadly!

[Jim Noble]

If you are a NATO and EU member, by definition and by the very nature of this membership you have to support Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion," Tusk told reporters.

That's an interesting way of putting it.

Ukraine is not an EU member. Ukraine is not a NATO member.

So, the foreign affairs department of the EU and NATO, together with the CIA and the US State Department, has a secret treaty that binds members who have not consented to it?

You know, I have a hobby studying various aspects of the US Constitution, and I am especially interested in Congress's unilateral war power.

In the example of the American Union, only Congress can declare war because war involves the People (House) and the States (Senate). When the Senate passes a Declaration of War, it signifies consent of the States that make up the American Union.

[HenpeckedCon]

Poland just elected a far lefty. Their problems are just starting sadly!
______________________________________________________________

It’s just a matter of time before there are “no go zones” in Warsaw.

[Paul R.]

If Hungary and Slovakia do not want to aid Ukraine, fine. They are free to vote against it. If you lose the vote, well, tough titty, said the kitty. That's the "tyranny" of democracy. Nobody rolled 1000 tanks into Hungary to force them to join the EU, and, like Britain, they can leave if they don't like the company. Try that if you are, say, Tennessee. HUNGARY gave up some of its independence when it joined the EU. That's part of the deal.

The problem is that Hungary (and might well have the help of Slovakia in the next aid package) blocked all the rest of the EU from moving ahead with the $50 billion aid package. So, who is using the EU rules to act as a tyrant?

Maybe a dissenter like Hungary should have the freedom to not participate even though the rest of the EU has agreed upon a policy. Don't ask me how such an organization is viable, though. Certainly the dissenter should not be able to veto everybody else. Would you allow that in, say, a meeting of your church elders?

Maybe a 2/3 majority of the EU Parliament should be required? Ok. Do you realize how badly Hungary would lose that vote?

All you do is discredit yourself with such silly arguments.

[Paul R.]

I assume that’s sarcasm.

I’m not shocked. In fact, I still maintain a far greater danger than Russia, here, is that US weakness will lead to both fracturing of the EU and NATO, and heavy re-arming of Euro countries, as they seek security. Such a Europe will be the most dangerous place on the planet, and to the planet, in a generation or less. Count on it. The history is very clear.

[Leaning Right]

You made a very interesting argument. It is a shame you ruined it by the personal attack at the very end. If that was just a one-off, no problem. But if it’s standard procedure, please do not post to me again.

I enjoy a good discussion on FR. And I often learn something new. But I’m not a fan of insults. If anything, they are counterproductive.