Poland’s six-month presidency of the EU Council ends Sunday, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk highlighting defence spending and migration policies as key outcomes.
Poland will formally conclude its presidency of the European Union Council on June 30, after leading EU discussions since January 1, 2025.
At a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the challenges of the term, telling Prime Minister Donald Tusk, "Your presidency has been difficult, but you have made it."
Tusk focused his closing remarks on defence, saying Poland helped shift the EU’s mindset on security amid the current geopolitical climate.
"The EU was built on the belief that war would never return to Europe," Tusk said. "Breaking this naïve faith was not easy."
Tusk cited key achievements including securing 150 billion euros under the SAFE programme to boost Europe’s arms industry, and financial support for the 'Shield East' initiative along the EU’s eastern borders.
However, the presidency was not without controversy. Tusk’s government passed a law allowing temporary suspension of asylum applications, a move criticized by human rights groups as risking abuse and worsening conditions at the Polish-Belarusian border.
Tusk defended the law as an "unprecedented solution" to help Europe manage illegal migration.
European and Polish politicians reflected on the presidency’s difficult balance between security priorities and humanitarian concerns.
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Four people were killed while the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a symbol of Ukrainian spiritual and cultural history, caught fire, in the heaviest Russian air attack on the Ukrainian capital in two weeks, authorities said on Monday.
Poland will receive a new $4 billion loan from the United States through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme, strengthening defence ties between the two NATO allies as Warsaw continues a major military modernisation drive.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have criticised Britain, France and Germany for leaving them out of talks with Russia about a potential future peace deal for Ukraine.
Sweden should introduce a minimum age of 15 for social media use, a government-appointed commission recommended on Tuesday (2 June), adding to a growing movement across Europe to restrict children's access to digital platforms.
Details of a reported draft memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran offer the clearest picture yet of how both sides plan to end months of conflict and move towards a longer-term settlement.
The U.S. and Iran say they have reached a deal to end their conflict, with an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade. Talks will continue over the next 60 days to finalise the agreement
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
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Switzerland on Sunday rejected a referendum proposal to cap its population at 10 million, a projection showed, as voters prioritised economic stability and the country's ties with the European Union over immigration concerns.
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British lawmakers look set to revisit assisted dying in the new parliamentary session after Labour MP Lauren Edwards said she would reintroduce legislation that failed to complete its passage through Parliament earlier this year.
Israel expects to secure new contracts for its air and missile defence systems from European countries within weeks, as governments across the continent continue to strengthen their militaries amid security concerns linked to Russia's war in Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs on French wine and champagne unless France removes its digital services tax on major American technology companies.
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