The new president of the European Council set his political agenda up: EU-US relationship to remain a priority
by Emanuele Bonini
Europa is facing harsh challenges. Security and common values are at stake, and keeping strategic partnerships will be key, said new European Council president Donald Tusk in Brussels during the handover ceremony which brought the Polish to take office. «I come here with a strong sense of purpose», he said. «In these difficult times Europe needs success. To me, this means four things». Here we are with Tusk's poltical agenda: first, «protecting our fundamental values, freedom and solidarity, against threats to the EU and its unity- both from inside and outside»; secondly, the EU «must be strong internationally». This means «Europe has to secure its borders, support those in neighbourhood who share our values»; thirdly, according to Donald Tusk, «relations between Europe and the United States are the backbone of the community of democracies», and under this point of view «the year ahead will be crucial»; finally «we need ruthless determination to end the economic crisis», which mainly means «to complete the genuine European Monetary Union».
Political instability all around the EU borders make Tusk concerned. The Middle East is a never ending story, Syria remains something unpredictable, north Africa countries pose a threat for the immigration pressure they can exert on Europe. But is the Ukrainian the main source of concern for the new president of the European Council. As a Polish man, he knows very well what Russia means and what Russian can do. Tusk's call for maintaining firm the alliance with the United States means above all to secure a military partnership in case of the worst scenarios. Situation in the eastern border is turning from bad to worse, and is not clear what will can happen. But there's a problem in saying the EU «must be strong internationally»: it means Europe should find a common foreign policy, something never happened before since foreign affairs is a national competence and a national business. Tusk's task will be find compromise and unity among the member States. Something not easy, and he knows. «It is a great honour and a great challenge for me to start working here».
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| Donald Tusk |
Europa is facing harsh challenges. Security and common values are at stake, and keeping strategic partnerships will be key, said new European Council president Donald Tusk in Brussels during the handover ceremony which brought the Polish to take office. «I come here with a strong sense of purpose», he said. «In these difficult times Europe needs success. To me, this means four things». Here we are with Tusk's poltical agenda: first, «protecting our fundamental values, freedom and solidarity, against threats to the EU and its unity- both from inside and outside»; secondly, the EU «must be strong internationally». This means «Europe has to secure its borders, support those in neighbourhood who share our values»; thirdly, according to Donald Tusk, «relations between Europe and the United States are the backbone of the community of democracies», and under this point of view «the year ahead will be crucial»; finally «we need ruthless determination to end the economic crisis», which mainly means «to complete the genuine European Monetary Union».
Political instability all around the EU borders make Tusk concerned. The Middle East is a never ending story, Syria remains something unpredictable, north Africa countries pose a threat for the immigration pressure they can exert on Europe. But is the Ukrainian the main source of concern for the new president of the European Council. As a Polish man, he knows very well what Russia means and what Russian can do. Tusk's call for maintaining firm the alliance with the United States means above all to secure a military partnership in case of the worst scenarios. Situation in the eastern border is turning from bad to worse, and is not clear what will can happen. But there's a problem in saying the EU «must be strong internationally»: it means Europe should find a common foreign policy, something never happened before since foreign affairs is a national competence and a national business. Tusk's task will be find compromise and unity among the member States. Something not easy, and he knows. «It is a great honour and a great challenge for me to start working here».
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