Europe back in pre-war era, says Polish PM
WARSAW (AFP) – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned of the “real” threat of conflict in Europe, saying that for the first time since the end of World War II the continent has entered a “prewar era.”
“War is no longer a concept from the past. It is real, and it started over two years ago. The most worrying thing at the moment is that literally any scenario is possible. We haven’t seen a situation like this since 1945,” Tusk said in an interview with the European media grouping LENA on Friday.
“I know it sounds devastating, especially for the younger generation, but we have to get used to the fact that a new era has begun: the pre-war era. I’m not exaggerating; it’s becoming clearer every day.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago upended European leaders’ sense of unshakeable postwar peace, prompting many countries to gear up weapons production to supply both Kiev and their own militaries.
Former European Council president Tusk, whose country has been one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine, said Friday that if Kyiv lost, “no one” in Europe would feel safe.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview published on Friday that if Ukraine does not get the promised military aid blocked by disputes in the US Congress, its forces will have to retreat “in small steps.”
“If there is no US support, it means that we have no air defense, no Patriot missiles, no jammers for electronic warfare, no 155-milimeter artillery rounds,” Zelensky told