WARSAW 

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters in Paris on Thursday that he would not talk to anyone on his knees, referring to Wednesday's meeting between Polish and US presidents in Washington, DC, to which he was not invited.

Tension has been rising between the pro-EU centrist coalition government under Tusk -- now almost two years into his four-year term -- and the nationalist opposition Law and Justice (PiS)-aligned President Karol Nawrocki, who won this summer’s presidential election, unexpectedly beating Tusk acolyte, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.

Coalition instability and the increasingly public spat between Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski -- who met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Tuesday in Miami, Florida -- and Nawrocki have added further fuel to the fire and tested relations between the pro-EU and pro-Ukraine Tusk government and the more Washington-centric and Ukraine-skeptical PiS opposition.

Nawrocki visited the White House at the invitation of US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed cooperation in security, energy, and developing trade relations between Poland and the US. 

“Trump is the only leader today who is capable of negotiations with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin (amid the ongoing Moscow-Kyiv war),” Nawrocki said after talks at the White House, adding that the US president had “opened up” to his views on Russia. 

Meanwhile, at a press conference in Washington, DC, aides to Nawrocki said Tusk had not been welcome in the White House. 

Asked about these comments and his assessment of the presidential visit on Thursday during a press conference following a meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" in Paris, Tusk said: "I have a principle, and I try to stick to it, that Poles don't speak ill of Poles, especially when they are engaged in international missions. We know well how many PiS pilgrimages have gone to Washington to explain to our American partners what a monster I am. Perhaps this has had some effect."

However, he added that he was willing to support Nawrocki's actions. "We are always ready to support the president's mission, regardless of who it is. For now, there is no will to cooperate on that side, let's be honest. 

"I will continue to encourage both the opposition and the president to act in solidarity in international affairs." 

Tusk added: "Whether it's relations with Malta, Luxembourg, the United States, or China, Poland must always conduct itself with dignity and hold its head high. I won't change my ways. I won't talk to anyone on my knees."   

Security guarantees for Ukraine

After the Paris meeting, Tusk also noted: "We discussed how to make these security guarantees (for Ukraine) tangible. I am very impressed by the solidarity, determination, and cooperation. We spoke in a small team, but the leaders of all the countries of the Coalition of the Willing joined forces. ... Poland does not plan to send troops to Ukraine, but we are responsible for logistics; we are the largest aid hub here, and everyone accepts this significant role. … President Trump wants an end to the war, but there are no results; it seems that Russia is stalling.”

US-led efforts to end the war in Ukraine have continued since the start of Trump's second term in January. He has held talks with the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, as well as the EU, but sticking points for a potential deal include security guarantees for Kyiv and land swaps.

While Russia, which wants limits on Ukrainian military and a non-allied status for Ukraine, has refused NATO troops on Ukrainian soil, Kyiv says it will not cede any territories for peace.

About 10,000 US troops are stationed in Poland, although reports suggest the Trump administration may want to reduce that figure.

Trump said Wednesday he would not withdraw US troops from Poland, one of the most pro-Ukrainian EU members. The US is a crucial provider of defense equipment to Poland, and last month approved the sale of $1.85 billion in F-35 equipment to Warsaw.  

 Beijing summit

Tusk also said that “everyone was impressed by the hostile demonstration,” referring to the summit in China. “The other side is uniting politically. This does not bode well for future international relations, which is why it was so important to emphasize unity between Western countries,” he said. 

“The presence of the Slovak Prime Minister and the Hungarian Foreign Minister at this anti-Western demonstration in Beijing looked a bit unsettling,” he added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday received several foreign leaders in Beijing, a day after China staged a large-scale military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, state media reported. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un – on his fifth trip to China – attended the military parade in Beijing, alongside Xi, Putin, and 26 foreign leaders.

A bilateral meeting between Xi and Kim was held as North Korea’s ties with Russia have grown closer over the past few years.

Kim also held his fourth bilateral summit with Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, where the North Korean leader pledged “full support” to Russia amid its war with Ukraine.