WARSAW, Poland (AP) 鈥 Poland鈥檚 Prime Minister Donald Tusk said security, energy and competitiveness will be the priorities for his nation鈥檚 upcoming presidency in the European Union in the first half of 2025.
Tusk said Europe needs to be more 鈥渆goistic鈥 and show more internal solidarity in facing outside competition.
He was speaking Thursday following talks with the European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and leaders of the parliament's various political groups about the main points of the presidency, which , he said, he wants to be a 鈥渂reakthrough鈥 time for the EU.
The priorities of the presidency will be 鈥渟ecurity in may dimenstions, energy - as one of the main conditions (needed) for the European Union to regain its full competitiveness, protection of various groups of our citizens, honest competitiveness in which Europe really has a chance to win with everyone in the world,鈥 Tusk said.
He stressed that Warsaw's presidency is coming at a 鈥渄ifficult鈥 and 鈥漜ritical鈥 moment of geopolitical challenges like the war in neighbouring Ukraine, upcoming presidential elections in another neighboouring country, Belarus, as well as conflicts and tensions in many parts or the world and political crises in some of the biggest European countires. Poland is also facing election at a yet-unspecified date in the spring to replace the right-wing president, Andrzej Duda.
He said Poland鈥檚 resolve in protecting its border with Belarus from migrant pressure is gaining wider support and the need for protecting its borders is becoming Europe鈥檚 shared approach.
